The state of America’s southern border is a moral, political, and humanitarian disaster. Under the Biden-Harris administration, the crisis has spiraled into unprecedented chaos, allowing hundreds of thousands of migrants, including vulnerable children, to enter the country illegally. A recent statement by Senator J.D. Vance shines a spotlight on a particularly disturbing aspect of this crisis: the fate of unaccompanied minors who have effectively disappeared after being released into the United States.

Vance claimed that 320,000 children have been lost by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Some of these children, according to reports, are likely victims of human trafficking, others may have been exploited as drug mules, and some may simply be missing—lost in a bureaucratic black hole. The Biden-Harris administration’s policies, specifically the lax enforcement at the border, have created a tragic reality where America no longer knows where these children are or what dangers they face.

The Real Family Separation Policy

While Democrats have previously criticized the Trump administration’s family separation policy, the reality under the current administration is far worse. The southern border is effectively wide open under Vice President Kamala Harris’ watch, leaving children vulnerable to trafficking, exploitation, and neglect. This is the real family separation crisis—one that gets far too little attention from the mainstream media.

Children, in their innocence, are being abandoned to a system ill-equipped to protect them. Families in Central and South America are desperate enough to send their children on perilous journeys, often unaccompanied, in hopes of securing a better life in the U.S. But these hopes are quickly dashed when children fall into the hands of traffickers or disappear altogether. The Biden-Harris administration’s policies have enabled a situation where border agents, overwhelmed by the sheer number of arrivals, cannot effectively process and monitor these minors.

Disturbing Figures from DHS

A report from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) inspector general, published in August, revealed staggering failures in the system. According to the report, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could not adequately monitor the location and safety of unaccompanied minors (UCs) released from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) custody between 2019 and 2023. Shockingly, over 32,000 minors failed to show up for their scheduled immigration court hearings, and as of May 2024, ICE had not even issued a Notice to Appear (NTA) for more than 291,000 minors.

This is an abysmal failure of governance, and the consequences for these children are devastating. By not issuing NTAs, ICE has lost its ability to maintain any contact with these minors after their release. Without oversight, these children are left defenseless against exploitation, trafficking, and forced labor.

While some have argued that not all of these children are “lost” in the literal sense, the DHS report reveals that their safety and whereabouts remain largely unknown. It is a systemic failure that cannot be explained away by bureaucratic delays or procedural errors. These are children, human beings, and their lives are at stake.

A Moral and Humanitarian Crisis

The failure of the Biden-Harris administration to secure the border has led to this unprecedented humanitarian crisis. In the absence of firm border policies, vulnerable minors are being funneled through a system that has no capacity to monitor or protect them. Instead of creating policies that prioritize the safety and well-being of these children, the administration’s focus on open-border rhetoric has only exacerbated the problem.

For those who believe in the sanctity of life and the protection of the vulnerable, this crisis should weigh heavily on our conscience. These children deserve better than to be used as pawns in a broken immigration system. It is the duty of any government to secure its borders, not only to protect its citizens but also to ensure that those seeking refuge are treated with dignity and safety.

Solutions for the Border Crisis

To address this grave injustice, the Biden-Harris administration must immediately enforce stricter border controls and ensure that all unaccompanied minors are properly tracked and protected. Resources must be redirected to border agents, allowing them to better handle the influx of migrants, and ICE must be empowered to issue NTAs and monitor the whereabouts of minors. Furthermore, the United States should work closely with Central and South American governments to discourage families from sending their children on dangerous journeys north.

Finally, there needs to be accountability for this tragedy. The failures at the border are not merely bureaucratic missteps; they are the result of a deliberate policy to weaken immigration enforcement. The administration must reverse course and prioritize the safety of these children before more lives are lost or destroyed by traffickers and criminal enterprises exploiting the porous border.

Conclusion

The crisis of unaccompanied minors at the southern border is a national shame. Senator J.D. Vance’s claims, while alarming, underscore the broader truth of a border system in complete disarray. The Biden-Harris administration must be held accountable for its role in allowing this humanitarian catastrophe to unfold. America can and must do better—for its citizens and for the innocent children who are being exploited by the broken system we have today.