On July 7, 2025, the ILRC submitted a comment opposing a new federal rule that changes how the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) handles unaccompanied children. The rule allows ORR to consider a sponsor’s immigration status and share that information with enforcement agencies, violates federal law, anti-discrimination protections, and ORR’s duty to place children in the “least restrictive setting” that is in their best interest. This policy discourages undocumented family members from stepping forward as sponsors, leaving children in government custody longer and causing serious harm to their well-being. Data shows that since the rule took effect in March 2025, children’s average detention time has more than quadrupled, delaying reunification with parents or close relatives.
Immigrant Youth
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Practitioners