HHS delays sharing unaccompanied minors data by seven years

In the United States, the Center for Immigration Studies has been seeking transparency regarding the federal government's handling of unaccompanied minors through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request filed on December 18, 2023. They have specifically requested text messages received and sent by the Office of Refugee Resettlement's National Call Center, which supports unaccompanied children throughout their reunification process. The data requested is crucial for analyzing the government's operational practices and impacts on immigration policy. However, the response from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has raised significant concerns as they estimated it could take about seven years to provide the requested information. This slow pace of documentation release, equating to processing only 150 messages per month, contrasts starkly with average production rates in FOIA litigations. The think tank argues that timely access to these records is essential for understanding the complexities of immigration policies and the broader implications for U.S. economic and security interests. The requested records will shed light on issues such as violence at the border, drug trafficking, and potential abuse of unaccompanied minors. As the ongoing challenges related to immigration continue to unfold in the country, delays in sharing critical information could hinder informed public discourse and oversight of government actions. Therefore, securing the release of these documents is paramount for ensuring accountability and transparency in immigration-related operations.