Wyden Accuses HHS of Targeting 500 Migrant Children for Deportation as June 30 Court Deadline Nears
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 25
Wyden Accuses HHS of Targeting 500 Migrant Children for Deportation as June 30 Court Deadline Nears
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 25
Summary
More than 500 unaccompanied migrant children in HHS custody are being readied for expedited removal under a new process that Senator Ron Wyden says lacks statutory authority.
Wyden said the children have spent at least 180 days in federal custody, are largely in long-term foster care, and were flagged as category 4 cases with no viable U.S. sponsor.
His letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says most of the children already have lawyers and warns removals without involving them would be a severe due-process breach.
Wyden argued the effort appears timed to beat a June 30 immigration-court deadline, accusing HHS of running a parallel screening process to pre-empt judicial decisions and oversight.
HHS denied any plan to target the children, calling Wyden's claims fear mongering and saying the administration is trying to identify parents or legal guardians and place children with properly vetted sponsors.
With courts potentially sidelined, what due process protects migrant children from deportation?
As children's time in custody doubles, what are the alternatives to foster care or deportation?
U.S. Immigration Crisis: 500+ Unaccompanied Children Threatened with Deportation by June 30, 2026
Overview
An urgent crisis is unfolding as Senator Ron Wyden accuses the Department of Health and Human Services of planning to rapidly deport over 500 unaccompanied migrant children by June 30, 2026. These children, who have spent at least 180 days in federal custody and are classified as 'category 4' due to lacking a viable sponsor in the United States, face a critical court deadline. The potential for fast-track deportations raises serious humanitarian and legal concerns, highlighting the need to scrutinize these alleged plans to ensure the welfare and due process rights of these vulnerable children are protected.