Fact Sheets
- ORR Influx Care Facilities for Unaccompanied Alien Children Fact Sheet
- Unaccompanied Alien Children Bureau Fact Sheet
General Statistics
Data provided by fiscal year (October 1 — September 30)
Age | Country of Origin | Primary Language | Sex | Home Studies | Post-Release Services | Length of Care | Referrals | Release to Sponsors
Age
Age breakdown of unaccompanied alien children by fiscal year (October 1 — September 30)
Age | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 | FY2019 | FY2018 | FY2017 | FY2016 | FY2015 | FY2014 | FY2013 | FY2012 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0-12 | 24% | 19% | 15% | 16% | 16% | 16% | 15% | 17% | 18% | 17% | 21% | 14% | 11% |
13-14 | 12% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 16% | 13% | 11% |
15-16 | 31% | 34% | 36% | 39% | 37% | 37% | 37% | 37% | 37% | 38% | 36% | 40% | 39% |
17+* | 33% | 35% | 36% | 33% | 35% | 35% | 35% | 32% | 31% | 30% | 27% | 34% | 38% |
*Includes UC who were identified as 18 years old after ORR’s initial evaluation (0.13%).
Country of Origin
Primary countries of origin of youth in the Unaccompanied Alien Children Bureau in FY2024.
Country of Origin | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 | FY2019 | FY2018 | FY2017 | FY2016 | FY2015 | FY2014 | FY2013 | FY2012 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Honduras | 20% | 28% | 29% | 32% | 25% | 30% | 26% | 23% | 21% | 17% | 34% | 30% | 27% |
Guatemala | 32% | 42% | 47% | 47% | 48% | 45% | 54% | 45% | 40% | 45% | 32% | 37% | 34% |
El Salvador | 8% | 9% | 13% | 13% | 14% | 18% | 12% | 27% | 34% | 29% | 29% | 26% | 27% |
Mexico | 20% | 8% | 3% | 1% | 6% | 2% | 3% | <3% | 3% | 6% | <2% | 3% | 8% |
All other countries | 19% | 13% | 8% | 7% | 8% | 5% | <5% | 3% | 2% | 3% | <3% | 5% | 4% |
Primary Language
This table shows the five predominant languages spoken by unaccompanied alien children in ORR’s care by fiscal year.
Language | FY2024 |
---|---|
Spanish | 88,291 (87.95%) |
Haitian Creole | 3,259 (3.25%) |
Q'eqchi' | 1,475 (1.47%) |
Mam | 966 (0.96%) |
French | 922 (0.92%) |
Sex
Year | Males | Females |
---|---|---|
FY2024 | 61% | 38% |
FY2023 | 61% | 39% |
FY2022 | 64% | 36% |
FY2021 | 66% | 34% |
FY2020 | 68% | 32% |
FY2019 | 66% | 34% |
FY2018 | 71% | 29% |
FY2017 | 68% | 32% |
FY2016 | 67% | 33% |
FY2015 | 68% | 32% |
FY2014 | 66% | 34% |
FY2013 | 73% | 27% |
FY2012 | 77% | 23% |
Home Studies
Number of home studies conducted by ORR care providers each fiscal year.
Fiscal Year | Home Studies |
---|---|
2024 | 10,334 |
2023 | 8,175 |
2022 | 8,726 |
2021 | 5,373 |
2020 | 2,204 |
2019 | 4,859 |
2018 | 3,698 |
2017 | 3,064 |
Post-Release Services
This table shows the number of unaccompanied alien children referred for post-release services (PRS) out of the total number of children released to sponsors in each fiscal year.
Fiscal Year | Unaccompanied Alien Children Released to Sponsor* | Unaccompanied Alien Children Referred for PRS** | Percentage of Unaccompanied alien Children Referred for PRS*** |
---|---|---|---|
2024 | 99,419 | 81,588 | 82.1% |
2023 | 113,602 | 67,620 | 59.5% |
2022 | 128,106 | 56,171 | 43.8% |
2021 | 108,245 | 29,773 | 27.5% |
Legend
* Number of unaccompanied alien children released to sponsors in each fiscal year.
**Number of unaccompanied alien children referred for post-release services out of the total number of children released to sponsors in each fiscal year.
***Percentage of unaccompanied alien children referred for post-release services out of the total number of children released to sponsors in each fiscal year.
Note: From 2015 to 2020, the method used to calculate post-release services (PRS) utilization was the number of active PRS cases in a fiscal year. Thereby, a child who received PRS across several fiscal years would have been counted as an active case in each fiscal year.
For example, a child was released to a sponsor in July of 2016 with a referral to post-release services (PRS). The child received PRS for 18 months, from August of 2016 to February of 2018, so, the case was open in FY2016 and remained an active case through FY2018. Thus, the case would have been counted in as a child served by PRS in each fiscal year.
Length of Care
The average length of time an unaccompanied alien child remained in ORR care in FY2024 was 30 days.
FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 | FY2019 | FY2018 | FY2017 | FY2016 | FY2015 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
30 | 27 | 29 | 33 | 69 | 61 | 64 | 51 | 40 | 38 |
Note: The Length of Care data have been revised as of 01/08/24 to present an annual average.
Referrals
This reflects the number of referrals ORR receives from the Department of Homeland Security each fiscal year. Read more about referrals to ORR and initial placement.
Year | Referrals |
---|---|
FY2024 | 98,356 |
FY2023 | 118,938 |
FY2022 | 128,904 |
FY2021 | 122,731 |
FY2020 | 15,381 |
FY2019 | 69,488 |
FY2018 | 49,100 |
FY2017 | 40,810 |
FY2016 | 59,170 |
FY2015 | 33, 726 |
FY2014 | 57, 496 |
FY2013 | 24, 668 |
FY2012 | 13, 625 |
Release to Sponsors
View the number of unaccompanied alien children released to sponsors by state and by county.