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Center for Immigration Studies

1629 K Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20006 • Phone 202.466.8185 • Fax 202.466.8076 • www.cis.org

C I S

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February 2017

This is the third of five reports on the issues surrounding the placement of thousands of unaccompanied children from Central America in communities across the United States.

Key points:

• AccordingtofederalOfficeofRefugeeResettlement(ORR)dataobtainedbytheAssociatedPress,morethan80percentofUACsponsorsareintheUnitedStatesillegally.Federalagencieshavefewmechanisms,andap-parentlylittleinclination,toholdsponsorsaccountableforfailuretocomplywithdeportationproceedings.

• Overthelasttwoyears,approximately13,000UnaccompaniedAlienChildren(UACs)skippedoutontheirimmigrationcourthearings.Thisrepresents36percentofthecasescompleted.Sofar,25percentoftheUACswhosecaseshavefinishedweregrantedpermissiontostay,44percentwereordereddeported,and32percenthadtheircasedroppedwithoutadecision.

• Asignificantshareofsponsorsandyouthshavenotbeenreachedinfollow-upphonecallsfromORR.

Ninepercentofparentalsponsors,15-18percentofnon-parentalsponsors,andlessthanhalfoftheyouthshavebeenreachedinthesecalls.ThecompliancerateofUACshousedwithillegalsponsorsisnottracked.

• UACsreportedlyhavebeentransferredfromORR-approvedsponsorstounvettedthirdpartieswithoutconsequence.

• Federalagenciessaytheyhavenomechanismtoholdnon-compliantsponsorsaccountable,especiallythosealreadyintheUnitedStatesillegally.

• TheprevailingpolicyfacilitatesillegalimmigrationandenablescriminalactivityintheUnitedStatesby

allowingcriminalgangsandtraffickingorganizationstotakeadvantageoftheselaxpolicies.

• Theprevailingpolicyempowerstensofthousandsofillegalimmigrantstoevadethelawandcreatestheimpressionforothersthattheyalsocancomeillegallywithimpunity.

IntroductionAlargesegmentoftheCentralAmericanunaccompaniedchildrenwhohavearrivedintheUnitedStatessince2014havebeenplacedwith illegal immigrant sponsorsby theORR,anagencyof theDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices.Thesesponsorsarenotmonitoredtoensurethattheycomplywiththeprovisionsofthechildren’splacement,eitherbythisagency,theExecutiveOfficeforImmigrationReview(EOIR,whichrunstheimmigrationcourts)orImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement(ICE,whichhandlesimmigrationenforcementintheinterior).Widespreadnon-compliancecontributestofurtherswellingoftheranksofthoseinthecountryillegally,withthefullknowledgeandtoleranceofthefederalgovernment.IthashadadeleteriouseffectonpublicsafetyintheplaceswheresomeoftheseyouthshavebecomerecruitingfodderfortheviolentMS-13gang.

Immigration Impunity Illegal immigrant sponsors of UACs avoid accountability for non-compliance with deportation process

By Joseph J. Kolb

Joseph J. Kolb, M.A., is a fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies.

1629KStreet,NW,Suite600•Washington,DC20006•(202)466-8185•center@cis.org•www.cis.org

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Center for Immigration Studies

ThegoalofORRistoreleaseminorswhoarriveillegallyand“unaccompanied,”usuallyfromtheCentralAmericancountriesofElSalvador,Guatemala,andHonduras,intheleastrestrictiveenvironmentpossible,asquicklyaspossible,ideallywithaparentorfamilymember,regardlessoftheirimmigrationstatus.Thisinflux,numbering126,985unaccompaniedminorsap-prehendedbytheU.S.BorderPatrolfromFY2014throughFY2016,andthechoiceoftheObamaadministrationtoreleasethemintothecountrytoawaitdrawn-outdeportationproceedings,hasplacedamonumentalburdenonanalreadystrainedimmigrationdetentionandcourtsystem.1

WhilethepublicstatementsbytopObamaadministrationofficialssoundedtough,infactthefederalgovernment’ssystemoftrackingtheseyouthsisimpotent.Morethan80percentoftheyouthsareplacedwithsponsorsknowntoalreadybeintheUnitedStatesillegally,andthereisnomechanisminplacetoholdthoseindividualsaccountablewhentheyviolatethetermsofachild’splacementandfederalimmigrationobligations,they,too,areviolating.2

From Unaccompanied to Unaccounted For ThechainofcustodyforUACsbeginswiththeU.S.BorderPatrol,whoseagentsencountertheyouthsandthenreferthemtoORR,whoseresettlementcontractorsmustplacethechildrenwithsponsors.AccordingtoHHSdataobtainedbytheAs-sociatedPress,atleast80percentoftheyouthsareplacedwithasponsorwhoisalreadyintheUnitedStatesillegally.3EOIR,whichresidesintheDepartmentofJustice,willthenmanagetheimmigrationcourtcase.Ifthereisaviolationintheprocessorthechildisorderedremovedfromthecountry,thentheresponsibilityshiftstoImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement(ICE)toconducttheremoval.

Initiallyachildisplacedintemporaryhousingfacilitiesuntilasponsorcanbelocatedandvetted.Whilethisvettingappearstobecomprehensiveonpaper,itislightatbest,andnegligentlyexpeditiousatworst.AU.S.Senateinvestigationreleasedin2015revealedalitanyofshockingdefectsinORRpoliciesforplacingnewlyarrivedminors.4Thesepolicieshavedrasticallycompromisedtheagency’sabilitytoprotecttheminorsortodetecthumantrafficking,debtlabor,ganginvolvement,andotherabusivesituations.

AccordingtoORRdata,inFY2014,53,515unaccompaniedalienchildrenwereplacedwithasponsor;inFY2015,itwas27,840;andinFY2016,itwas52,147.5 Theseplacementstotal 133,502UACsplacedwithsponsors.If,astheAPfound,80percentwereplacedwithasponsorwhoisanillegalalien,thenthatwouldmeanthatapproximately106,802UACshavebeenplacedinillegalalienhouseholds.

Thisinandofitselfshouldraiseconcernamonglawmakersabouttheimpactthispolicyhasontheprevailingillegalim-migrantpopulationwhobylivingandworkinghereareopenlydefyingfederallaw.Butwhenthesesponsors,whoaregivenadirectandendorsedresponsibilitybythefederalgovernmentandthenthefederalgovernmentfailstoenforceitsexpecta-tions,thatreinforcesthemessagethatenforcementofimmigrationlawsisnottakenseriously.

ThefollowinginformationwasprovidedtotheauthorbyEOIRtogiveaperspectiveastothecourtcomplianceofUACsandtheirsponsors.

From2014through2016,theBorderPatrolapprehended126,985CentralAmericanUACs.Overroughlythesameperiod,fromJuly18,2014,throughSeptember26,2016,EOIRreceived79,743newcharging,orNoticetoAppear,documentsforrespondentswhomDHShadidentifiedasUACs(seeTable1).Ofthose,62,635havehadatleastoneinitial,ormastercal-endar,hearingasoftheendofthetimeperiod.Forthesametimeperiod,therehavebeen35,713initialcasecompletions(ICC)forunaccompaniedchildren.Ofthese35,713ICCs,14,555wereremovalorders(44percent).Ofthecasesinwhichtheyouthwasorderedremoved,12,998,analarming89percent,wereissued in absentia,meaningthattheyouthfailedtoappear.Thatrepresents36percentofthetotalnumberofcompletedcases—ahighrateofabscondingfromthedueprocessprovidedtothem.

Manyofthecasesweresimplydroppedbythegovernment;10,860caseswereadministrativelyclosedbyDHSand404weredroppedbythejudgeafterDHSindicatedthatthecasewouldnotbeapriority,foratotalof32percentofthecasessimplybeingallowedtodropoffthedocketwithoutadecision.

Only8,700,or25percentoutofthenearly36,000completedcases,resultedintheyouthbeinggivenalegalstatus,suchasasylumoraspecialgreencardforjuveniles.

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Center for Immigration Studies

Table 1. Disposition of UAC Surge Cases: July 18, 2014 to September 26, 2016 NewCasesFiledFirstHearingScheduledInitialCaseCompletions

OutcomesRemovalOrdersNumberInAbsentiaVoluntaryDeparture(norelief)AdministrativelyClosed(casedroppedwithoutdecision)Admin.ClosedbyJudgeafterDHSProsecutorialDiscretionOtherAdministrativeCompletionTerminated(includesasylumandspecialjuvenilegreencards)TerminatedbyJudgeafterDHSProsecutorialDiscretionOtherJudgeDecisionRelief

Pct.StartedProceedings

Pct.CompletedProceedings

Pct.AbscondedFromProceedings

Pct.AwardedDeportationReliefByJudge

Pct.Unsuccessful(RemovalOrderorVD)

Pct.CasesAdministrativelyClosed(nodecision)

79,74362,63535,713

14,55512,9981,04010,860

40458

8,5856045106

79%

45%

36%

25%

44%

32%

Source:EOIR.

Askedtoexplainthe79,743apprehendedandgivenNTAscomparedtothe62,653whohadhearings,KathrynMattingly,anEOIRspokeswoman,toldtheauthorthatEOIRbegandocketingtheinitialmastercalendarhearingforrespondents,whomDHShasidentifiedasUACs,noearlierthan30daysandnomorethan90daysfromtheimmigrationcourt’sreceiptoftheNTAfromDHS.Assuch,thefirstmastercalendarhearingisstillpendingforsomeUCrespondentswhosechargingdocu-mentshavebeenfiledwiththeimmigrationcourt.

Shealsoexplainedthe26,922differencebetweenthosewhohadhearingsandcasescompletedas,“TherearenodefinitiveconclusionstobedrawnfromcalculatingthedifferencebetweenthenumberofmastercalendarhearingsheldforUCcasesandthenumberofUCinitialcasecompletions.UCcases,aswithallimmigrationcases,frequentlyinvolveanumberofac-tionsthatoccurbetweenaninitialmastercalendarhearingandaninitialcasecompletion.”

Thecompellingnumberstoconsiderherearethe12,998UACswhonevershowedforacourthearingandwereorderedre-movedinabsentia.ThenumberoftheseUACsthatwerehousedwithillegalimmigrantshasnotbeendisclosedortracked.

AccordingtoinformationgiventotheauthorbyEOIR,inthetopfiveareaswhereUACsareplacedbyORR(LosAngeles,Houston,LongIsland,N.Y.,Arlington,Va.,andBaltimore,Md.)95percentofcourt-issuedremovalorderswereinabsentia.TheseareasalreadyhavelargeCentralAmericanpopulations.SomeofthesesameareasalsohavebeenplaguedwithspikesinMS-13gangactivityinrecentyears.Thisplacesastrainonlocalsocial,health,andeducationalresources.ThefactthatthesechildrenareeitherattractedtoorarecoercedintojoininglocalstreetgangcliqueshasbeenwelldocumentedbytheauthorinapreviousreportdealingwiththestrifeoccurringinBrentwood,LongIsland.6Andyet,nosponsorhaseverbeenheldaccountable.

Despitethesefigures,MarkWeber,spokesmanforORR,saystheprotocolsarebeingdiligentlyfollowed.“Thesponsorisresponsibleforthechild’scareandwell-being,”Webertoldtheauthor.

According to Weber, potential sponsorsfor unaccompanied children are requiredto undergo basic background checks andcomplete a sponsor assessment processdesignedtotrytoidentifyriskfactorsandotherpotential safety concerns.As apartof the release process, all potential spon-sors must undergo a criminal public re-cordscheck.

ORRalsoconductsbackgroundchecksonadulthouseholdmembersandindividualsidentifiedinapotentialsponsor’scareplan.Additionally, a fingerprint-based back-ground check is required if the screenersbelieve there is a documented risk to thesafetyoftheminor,theminorisespeciallyvulnerable,ifthecaseisreferredforahomestudy,ifanyotherspecialconcernisidenti-fied,orifthesponsorisnotthechild’spar-entorlegalguardian.Thefingerprintsarecross-checkedwith theFederalBureauofInvestigation’s(FBI)nationalcriminalhis-tory and state repository records, whichincludes DHS arrest records. ORR alsorequires a home study before releasinganychildtoanon-relativesponsorwhoisseekingtosponsormultiplechildrenorhaspreviouslysponsoredorsoughttosponsor

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Center for Immigration Studies

achildandisseekingtosponsoradditionalchildren. ORRalsorequiresahomestudyforchildrenwhoare12yearsandunderbeforereleasingtoanon-relativesponsor.

OnpaperORR’sscreeningofsponsorsmayappearcomprehensive,butgivendiscrepanciesrevealedbylawenforcementincriminalinvestigations,theprocessiscursoryatbest.

AccordingtoORRdata,inFY2015only1,895homevisitswereconductedoutof33,726DHSreferrals.7Onecanreasonablyassumetheotherplacementswerebasedlargelyonself-reportedinformation,whichwaslikelydubious.Anecdotalinformationhasrevealedthatmanychildrenhavebeenplacedinenvironmentsunpreparedforthemfinancially,environmentally,andsocially.Insomecases,UACshavebeenreportedasplacedwithmembersoftheMS-13gang.OneBorderPatrolagenttoldtheauthorthatheisawareofnumerouscaseswhereachildwasplacedwithasponsorwhomerelyprovidedapostofficeboxandnotaphysicaladdressasrequired. Followingplacement,theprocessagainappearstobediligentonpaper,butinrealityissymbolic.WebersaysthatORRcallseachhousehold30daysafterthechildisreleasedtocheckonthechild’swell-beingandsafety.Thepurposeofthefollow-upcall istodeterminewhetherthechildisstillresidingwiththesponsor, isenrolledinorattendingschool, isawareofupcomingcourtdates,andissafe.

AccordingtoORR,ofthosereachedbyphoneduring the first quarter of FY 2016, only 56percent of unaccompanied children and 88percentofsponsorsparticipatedinacall.8(SeeTable 2.)The lowest rates of participation inthe follow up phone calls were the sponsorsin Category 3, those placed with a familyfriendordistantrelative.Forthosewhoaren’treached, there is no further action by ORRandforthosewhodeclinetoparticipatethereisnopenaltyorenforcementattachedtonon-compliance.

ObserversincommunitieswhereUACshavebeenplacedsaidtheyhavepersonallyseenoccasionswherechildrenhavebeenswitchedoutoftheinitialsponsor’scaretoathirdpartywithnoconsequences.

Thesechildreneventuallydisappearinabureaucraticblackholethatincreasesindepthanddiameter,makinglocatingthemandholdingsponsorsaccountableformyriadimmigrationviolationsvirtuallyimpossibleinmanycases.

Lack of Sponsor AccountabilityTheauthoraskedWeberifORRhadaformalfollow-upmechanismtodeterminewhetherayouthremainedwiththeof-ficiallyrecognizedsponsor.

Heanswered,“Correct,thatisanotherreasonwhywescrutinizepotentialsponsorsandthehouseholdandprovidechildreninformationonhowtostayincontactwithORR.”

Undercurrentpolicies,theseremovalsarenotanICEpriority,meaningthattheyouthlikelywilldisappearintosociety.

“AspartofthecivilimmigrationenforcementprioritiesannouncedbySecretaryJohnsoninNovember2014,U.S.ImmigrationandCustomsEnforcementfocusesitsenforcementresourcesonindividualswhoposeathreattonationalsecurity,publicsafety and border security.This includes convicted criminals and those apprehended at the borderwhile attempting tounlawfullyentertheUnitedStates,”ICEspokespersonJenniferElzeatoldtheauthor.

Table 2. Pct. Reached by Phone Who Participated in Safety and Well-Being Call (Q1, FY 2016)

Category

Parent/LegalGuardian(category1)Non-Parent,CloseRelative(category2)FamilyFriendorDistantRelative(category3)

Unaccompanied Child

58%53%51%

Sponsor

91%85%82%

Source:OfficeofRefugeeResettlement.

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Center for Immigration Studies

“Asthesecretaryhasstatedrepeatedly,ourbordersarenotopentoillegalmigration.Ifsomeonewasapprehendedattheborder,hasbeenorderedremovedbyanimmigrationcourt,hasnopendingappeal,anddoesnotqualifyforasylumorotherrelieffromremovalunderourlaws,heorshemustbesenthome.Wemustandwewillenforcethelawinaccordancewithourenforcementpriorities,”Elzeasaid.

Thereinliesthecruxofthematter.OnceasponsorandUAClearnthesystemofnon-compliance,theyknowtheirinfractionmerelyisanadministrativeblipontheICEpriorityradar,unlesstheycommitafelonyorotherveryseriouscrime.Evenwithbloodontheirhands,thesuspectstillmaynotfacedeportation,if,forexample,sanctuarypoliciespreventICEfromlearningofthem.

ImplicationsAfteraslightabatementinUACscrossingtheborderin2015comparedtothesurgeof2014,USBPisseeinganothersurge.Mostrecently,attheconclusionofFY2016theBorderPatrolapprehended46,893UACs.Thereasonscontinuetobedebated,aseconomicopportunity,fleeinggangviolence,andtheperceptionthattheywillbeallowedtostayallplayarole.However,whatcan’tbedebatedisthelackofoversightandthepublicsafetyconsequencesitbreeds.TheU.S.DepartmentofJusticehasdeterminedthatMS-13isthelargestgangonLongIsland,whichhasbeenplaguedbyarashofviolentcrimes.9TheTexasDepartmentofPublicSafetyhaselevatedMS-13fromaTier2toTier1gang,directlyblamingtheUACcrisisonanincreaseincrimethere.10Accordingtothereport,“AlthoughalargenumberofMS-13membershavebeencapturedalongtheborder,itislikelymanymorehavesuccessfullycrossedintoTexasandremainhiddenfromlawenforcement.GangmembersfromGuatemala,Honduras,andElSalvadorcouldbedestinedforlocationsinTexaswithlargeCentralAmericancommunities,includingtheHoustonandDallasareas.LawenforcementagenciesinHoustonalreadyreportthehighestnumberofidenti-fiedMS-13membersinthestate.”

ManybelievethatthedrivingforceofthenewsurgeistheperceptionandevenrealityofimpunityonceaUACisinthesys-tem.SponsorsandUACshavelearnedtoworkandwaitoutthesystem,givingthemampleopportunitytomingleinsocietywithlittleriskofbeingdeported,placingoverwhelmingburdensonmunicipalsocial,health,andeducationalresourceswithnoconcurrentassistancefromthefederalgovernmenttoaccommodatethesepopulationincreases.

ConclusionThefederalagenciestaskedwithprocessingmorethan200,000unaccompaniedchildrenfromCentralAmerica—DHS,ORR,andEOIR—since2012havebeenoverwhelmedbythetask.ThelenientpoliciesadoptedbytheObamaadministra-tionfacilitatedthisphenomenonandhelpedfuelthecancerousspreadofMS-13anditsheinousbreedofviolencethathastakensomeAmericancommunitiescompletelybysurprise.Thefederalgovernmentcontinuestosaturatethesecommuni-ties,withoutcommunicatingwithlocallawenforcementorschools,sayingtheyneedtoprotecttheprivacyofthechildrenandthesponsors.

Remediesthatshouldbeconsideredbylawmakerstomitigatetheissuesassociatedwithlackofenforcementofthesponsorresponsibilitiesincludethefollowing:

• Animmediatemoratoriumonusingillegalimmigrantsassponsorsunlesstheyagreetobeplacedindeportationproceedingsandcomplywithimmigrationlaws.

• PromptreferraltoICEandappropriateconsequenceswhenaUACorsponsorfailstocomplywiththeprovisionsof

theplacement.• Sponsorswhoviolatetheirresponsibilitiesshouldbesubjecttoconsequences.UndertheTraffickingVictimsPro-

tectionReauthorizationAct,minorsmustbeprotectedfrompeonagethroughcoercion,andplacementwithagangmemberorassociateshouldbeprohibited,asshouldplacingtheUACwithathirdpartywithoutnotifyingORR.

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Center for Immigration Studies

• ModifytheTVPRAandotherpoliciestocloseloopholesthathavebeenexploitedbyadvocatesforillegalaliensandObamaadministrationofficialstoacceleratethereleaseofminors.

• Monthlynotificationoflocalofficials,toincludelawenforcement,healthandeducationofficials,andthepublicby

ORRofUACplacementsinthecommunity,includingidentificationofthesponsors.

End Notes1“SouthwestBorderMigration”,U.S.CustomsandBorderProtectionwebsite,updatedJanuary18,2017.

2AmyTaxin,“APExclusive:Immigrantkidssenttoadultslackingstatus”,AssociatedPress,April19,2016.

3Ibid.

4Seetableon“HomeStudiesandPost-ReleasePrograms”,in“FactsandData”,U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,OfficeofRefugeeResettlementwebsite,lastreviewedDecember21,2016.

5“UnaccompaniedChildrenReleasedtoSponsorsByState”,U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,OfficeofRefugeeRe-settlementwebsite,lastreviewedJanuary30,2017.

6JosephJ.Kolb,“Brentwood,N.Y.,ConsumedbyMS-13CrimeWave”,CenterforImmigrationStudies Backgrounder,NO-vember2016.

7Seetableon“HomeStudiesandPost-ReleasePrograms”,in“FactsandData”,U.S.DepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,OfficeofRefugeeResettlementwebsite,lastreviewedDecember21,2016.

8“SafetyandWell-BeingCallsFirstQuarterFY2016”,U.SDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices,OfficeofRefugeeResettlement,May2016.

9“MS-13gangleadersentencedto365monthsimprisonmentfor2009murderandattemptedmurder”,U.S.Attorney’sOffice,easternDistrictofNewYork,June28,1013.

10“TexasGangThreatAssessment”,TexasDepartmentofPublic,August2015.