 Unaccompanied Children's Services
Program Description
The Division of Unaccompanied Children’s Services (DUCS), within the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), is responsible for the care and placement of unaccompanied alien children (UAC). ORR provides a safe and appropriate environment for UAC from the time they are placed in ORR custody until their reunification with family members or sponsors in the U.S. or until they are removed to their home country by DHS immigration officials. ORR takes into consideration the unique nature of each child’s situation and child welfare principles when making placement, case management, and release decisions that are in the interests of the child.
On December 23, 2008, the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA) was signed by the President. The TVPRA includes provisions to promote the identification and protection of trafficking survivors and those who are eligible for asylum and other forms of immigration relief. The legislation sets standards for care and services to UAC in custody regarding age determinations, repatriation, placement, suitability assessments, access to counsel and legal orientations, SIJS, and child advocates.
Responsibilities
- Making and implementing placement decisions for the UAC
- Ensuring that the interests of the child are considered in decisions related to the care and custody of UAC
- Reunifying UAC with qualified sponsors and family members who are determined to be capable of providing for the child's physical and mental well-being
- Providing home assessments for certain categories of UAC at risk
- Conducting follow-up services for certain categories of children
- Overseeing the infrastructure and personnel of ORR-funded UAC care provider facilities
- Conducting on-site monitoring visits of ORR-funded care provider facilities and ensuring compliance with DUCS national care standards
- Collecting, analyzing, and reporting statistical information on UAC
- Providing training to federal, state, and local officials who have substantive contact with UACs
- Developing procedures for age determinations and conducting these determinations along with DHS
- Cooperating with the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review to ensure that sponsors of UACs receive legal orientation presentations
- Ensuring, to the greatest extent practicable, that all UAC in custody have access to legal representation or counsel
- Granting specific consent for state court jurisdiction over children
Unaccompanied Alien Children
UAC have indicated that, among other reasons, they leave their home countries for the U.S. to rejoin family already in the U.S., to escape abusive family relationships in the home country, or to find work to support their families in the home country.
ORR has approximately 8,000 UAC a year in its facilities. The average length of stay is approximately 55 days before children are released to family members and other sponsors, or before aging out or before being returned to their home countries.
In FY08, the numbers of children in ORR custody and care ranged from approximately 800 to 1,500. Of those, 78% were male and 22% female; 13% were below the age of 14.
The most common native countries of UAC are Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador.
Native Countries of UAC in FY08| Honduras | 30.8% |
| Guatemala | 27.4% |
| El Salvador | 23.4% |
| Mexico | 10.6% |
| Ecuador | 3.2% |
| Nicaragua | 0.8% |
| Brazil | 0.5% |
| Other | 2.7% |
Social Services Facilities
The majority of children are cared for through a network of ORR-funded care provider facilities, most of which are located close to areas where immigration officials apprehend large numbers of aliens. There are currently more than 41 ORR-funded care provider facilities in 10 different states.
Care provider facilities are state licensed and must meet ORR requirements to ensure a high level of quality of care. The facilities, which operate under cooperative agreements and contracts, provide children with classroom education, health care, socialization/recreation, vocational training, mental health services, family reunification, access to legal services, and case management. Care provider facilities’ case management teams use effective screening tools to assess children for mental health and victim of trafficking issues.
Projects and Partnerships to Improve Quality of Service
- Coordination of a legal access project to pilot pro-bono capacity building models in major immigration apprehension areas so that more UAC can have access to legal representation
- Coordination of a child protection advocacy pilot project based in Chicago
- Development of child welfare standards of care in consultation with ORR Associate Director of Child Welfare
- Development of specialized training programs for ORR-funded facilities and DUCS personnel and partners, including national trainings on trauma and human trafficking
- Collaboration and coordination with the ORR Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division to identify victims of trafficking in the UAC population
- Collaboration with representatives from the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Patrol, the Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review and non-profit community-based legal service providers
Policy and Guidance
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Status – Interim Specific Consent Form (pdf 64KB)
- Special Immigrant Juvenile Status – Interim Specific Consent Program Instructions (pdf 98KB)
- ORR Program Instructions on Age Determination of UAC (pdf 71KB)
- Immunizations and Pregnancy Testing for UAC Females (pdf 32KB)
- Policy Clarification Release of a Child to an Unrelated Adult (pdf 173KB)
- Medical Services Requiring Heightened ORR Involvement (pdf 92KB)
Apprehensions in FY 2007
Funding Opportunities
Contact Information
Maureen Dunn
Division Director
Office of Refugee Resettlement
Administration for Children and Families
901 D Street, SW
Washington, DC 20447
Phone: 202.401.9246
Fax: 202.401.1022