Key facts
- Senator Ron Wyden claims HHS is preparing to deport over 500 unaccompanied migrant children.
- Wyden alleges the agency is using a new, unauthorized administrative process for expedited removal.
- The children targeted have been in federal custody for at least 180 days and lack identified sponsors.
- Wyden asserts that proceeding with removals without legal counsel involvement violates due process.
- The senator suggests the timing is an attempt to circumvent judicial oversight before a June 30, 2026, deadline.
- HHS denies plans to target these children, citing concerns about sponsor vetting.
Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon has accused the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of preparing to deport more than 500 unaccompanied migrant children in its custody. Wyden obtained information suggesting the agency is developing an "unprecedented legal framework" for expedited removal, which he argues lacks statutory authority and constitutes a "severe breach of due process" if children are removed without their legal representation.
In a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Wyden stated that the children on the list have been in federal custody for at least 180 days, are classified as category 4 (meaning no viable sponsor is identified), and the vast majority have legal counsel. He expressed alarm that the agency might be attempting to circumvent imminent judicial oversight by conducting a parallel internal screening process before a June 30, 2026, deadline for concluding these children's immigration cases.
Wyden criticized HHS for failing to respond to previous oversight inquiries and demanded the agency immediately suspend any related screening or removal efforts, requesting a written response by June 26, 2026. An HHS spokesperson denied the allegations, stating there are no plans to target these children and that the administration is focused on ensuring children are placed with properly vetted sponsors, citing concerns about the release of children without adequate vetting under the previous administration.