Luttrell Introduces Legislation to Stop Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children

WASHINGTON – Congressman Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) today introduced bicameral legislation to ensure the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) take critical steps to protect unaccompanied migrant children when placing them with sponsors in the United States. This comes amid alarming reports that HHS has lost contact with more than 300,000 children under the Biden administration, according to a report from DHS Office of Inspector General. The Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2025 is companion legislation that was recently introduced in the Senate by Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Ron Johnson (R-WI).

"Over 300,000 unaccompanied migrant children effectively disappeared under the Biden administration, leaving them vulnerable to trafficking, abuse, and exploitation. Instead of ensuring their safety, these children are released with no follow-up, falling into the hands of cartels and criminals,” saidCongressman Luttrell. “HHS must implement thorough vetting to ensure these children are placed with responsible adults—not predators. President Biden’s border policies failed everyone, and this legislation will support the Trump administration’s efforts to course correct the disaster we were left with.”

Senator Rick Scott said, “It is terrifying to think that over 300,000 young, innocent children have been brought into this nation, potentially forced into unsafe conditions and at risk for human trafficking. As a parent or grandparent, it’s unimaginable to think what might happen to these children, and that former president Joe Biden allowed this to happen by completely dismantling our immigration system and opening our southern border, completely ignoring the consequences or the tolls on human life. Thank God President Trump is in office and has already made incredible strides to secure our border and find the thousands of migrant children unaccounted for and at risk under Joe Biden. Our bill, the Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act, will support President Trump’s actions by making critical changes to fix Biden’s broken process and protect innocent children from being trafficked in our nation.”

The Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act establishes proper vetting standards by HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) and DHS before releasing an unaccompanied child to a sponsor.

Specifically, this legislation would:

• Require all categories of prospective sponsors whether a parent, immediate relative or unrelated adult to be properly vetted before placement of unaccompanied child.
• Require vetting of all adults in the household of a potential sponsor to undergo and complete all vetting processes required before placement of an unaccompanied child.
• Prohibits an unaccompanied child to be released to a sponsor who is illegally in the United States unless the individual is a biological parent, legal guardian or relative.
• Require ORR to complete a home visit before release of the child and conduct a minimum of five unannounced home visits during the first year the child is living with the sponsor.
• Implement a monthly reporting requirement from DHS and HHS to Congress.
• Require vetting for each sponsor with whom a child released from the custody of HHS has been placed since January 20, 2021.
• Require reporting to Congress on actions being taken to account for current missing children who were placed with a sponsor.