The mixed up maze of the Biden-Harris administration has resulted in a rather alarming loss of children migrants, though it seems like the media outlets that were scrambling to cover similar matters during the Trump era are oddly silent now. An unsettling report from the Inspector General of Homeland Security revealed a concerning statistic – 32,000 child migrants had not attended their court hearings between the years 2019 to 2023. The situation could be far more worrying as per the report, as there were almost 291,000 kids who never even received their initial court summons.
The estimated total wobbles above a staggering 300,000 children, who have essentially fallen off the government’s radar. The implications are multifaceted and, in many ways, disturbing, and the Inspector General’s report even suggested that children who miss their court summons have a heightened risk of being subjected to trafficking, forced labor or exploitation.
The failure to send out the notices to appear has deprived ICE of vital opportunities to initiate contact with these unaccompanied minors, thereby undermining the process of ensuring their safety after their release from DHS’ custody. What adds to this already chaotic situation is the fact that often, even pertinent authorities are kept in the dark about the missing children, largely because there is no ‘automated process of sharing information’ as per the report.
ICE’s ability to efficiently deal with the problem is further diluted by the sheer number of unaccompanied migrant children arriving into the country, totaling an astonishing 113,000 in 2023 alone. This predicament was virtually unleashed from day one of Biden’s tenure as president, when he decided to open up the border gates, thereby inviting this formidable challenge.
But lo and behold, the voices that previously raised constant furore over issues of similar nature during the Trump administration have fallen remarkably silent on this troubling conundrum. This marked contrast in their behavioural response is rather captivating, considering their outrage was palpable when HHS failed to confirm the whereabouts of around 1,500 children during a three-month period in 2018 under the Trump administration.
It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but facts remain facts. During Trump’s term, the cases where HHS was unable to establish contact with kids or their sponsors, via phone or messages, totaled to about 54,000 cases across three years. Juxtapose this with Biden’s record, and you’ll find an astounding 85,000 similar cases logged in just two years. Yes, you read that right – just two years.
However, the left evidently has a stubborn tendency to avert its gaze from anything that is glaringly obvious. A lukewarm stance on border control invariably burgeons the influx of unaccompanied migrant children. Consequently, this places an enormous burden on an already convoluted system, which in turn, results in more children slipping into anonymity.
Of course, no discussion about Biden’s border chaos can be complete without mentioning his appointed ‘Border Czar’ Kamala Harris. Despite the mounting evidence of the problem turning into a full-scale crisis, Harris seems to find solace in the silence, providing no words on changing of any of the flawed border policies.
Honest discourse would be refreshing from Harris, but alas, we are left waiting in anticipation. Her adamance on perpetuating such a faulty system reflects poorly on the decision-making abilities of the Biden-Harris administration and feeds into the general sense of frustration at the government’s inadequacy in handling border control.
Casting a ballot for Kamala Harris would equate to endorsing a framework that already proved to be ineffectual. It’s the signal of approval for the mishandling of a dire situation involving tens of thousands of children who are already at risk. Can a true patriot vote with a clear conscience knowing this reality?
Having the capability to drive changes yet deciding not to, knowing about an issue yet opting for complacency, these are the loopholes in our system, made flagrantly evident by the current administration. It is not just about being ‘tough’, it’s about taking responsible actions instead of hollow claims.
The number of children losing their way in the complicated bureaucracy grows each day the borders remain open. These are not just statistics; these are lives. Not just any lives, but the lives of children, who aren’t to blame for landing in such catastrophic situation.
Both Biden and Harris wear the mantle of power, it’s long past due they started acting like it. Their tolerance and lack of proactivity concerning the border crisis is not only unacceptable but morally reprehensible. For every child lost, there is a story left unattended and a potential future stamped out before it even got started.
It may just be another paragraph in the long tale of the Biden-Harris administration’s shortcomings, but each of them carries a potent message. If the current trend continues, it appears the only future we may be headed towards is one riddled with more confusion, tragedy, and inaction from our leaders.