The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is working diligently with its interagency partners to ensure that unaccompanied alien children are placed with vetted family members or other sponsors in the U.S. as quickly and safely as possible. 

Children age 17 and under who are unaccompanied by parents or other legal guardians and who have no lawful immigration status in the United States (unaccompanied alien children) and who are apprehended by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are transferred to the care and custody of HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). HHS plays no role in the apprehension or detention of unaccompanied alien children prior to their referral to HHS custody. HHS does not provide care or custody for adult non-citizens or family units that include adults. 

ORR is legally required to provide for the care and custody of all unaccompanied alien children referred to ORR until they are placed with a vetted sponsor, usually a parent or relative, while their immigration cases proceed. 

ORR and its network of 240 shelters and programs across 27 states prioritize accountability and transparency in program operations and strive to be a good neighbor in the communities where they operate. The impact of these shelters on the local community is minimal. Unaccompanied alien children remain under staff supervision at all times. HHS works in close coordination with local officials on security and safety of the children and community. HHS arranges for the security of unaccompanied alien children. On-site security is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Learn more about the Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) Bureau and the services it provides.

While ORR has worked to build up its standard bed capacity, additional capacity is needed to manage increases in referrals of unaccompanied alien chil­­dren from DHS. To prepare for this potential need and provide services and care that align with child welfare best practices, HHS has opened several influx care facilities (ICFs). Children placed in ICFs receive the full range of services offered in ORR’s standard network of care, including six hours of classroom education onsite every weekday. ORR is committed to ensuring ICFs meet or exceed state licensing standards. 

View the referrals of unaccompanied alien children by fiscal year and general monthly statistics related to unaccompanied alien children. 

ICFs

Dimmit County Children’s Center

On October 13, 2023, HHS opened the ICF Dimmit County Children’s Center in Carrizo Springs, Texas. The facility provides shelter for unaccompanied alien children, boys and girls, 13 to 17 years old. As of April 14, 2024, the site has had no children in care, but it must remain ready to resume operations and accept children within four weeks, if needed. 

Pecos Children’s Center

On April 5, 2021, HHS opened an emergency intake site (EIS) for unaccompanied alien children at the Target Lodge Pecos North property in Pecos, Texas (Pecos). On June 4, 2022, the site transitioned to an ICF, which provides shelter for boys and girls, 13 to 17 years old. As of February 21, 2025, the site is closed. 

Greensboro Children’s Center

On March 15, 2024, HHS operationalized the ICF Greensboro Children’s Center, in Greensboro, North Carolina, to provide shelter for boys and girls, 13 to 17 years old. As of June 23, 2024, the Center ramped down its operations to facility upkeep. No children have been in care at the Center. In October 2024, the Greensboro facility was made available to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to be used as a training and processing center for FEMA staff. As of February 21, 2025, FEMA ceased its operations at the Center, and ORR began the wind-down process leading to the closure of the Center on April 1, 2025.

ORR ICF at Fort Bliss 

HHS activated property on Fort Bliss, near El Paso, Texas, on March 30, 2021, to serve as an emergency intake site (EIS) for unaccompanied alien children. On May 30, 2022, the site transitioned to an ICF, which provided shelter for boys and girls, 13 to 17 years old. On June 30, 2023, the facility was placed in warm status. In September 2023, ORR began the wind-down process, and the ORR ICF at Fort Bliss is now closed. 
 

Parents or Other Potential Sponsors Seeking Information about a Child

A parent who is trying to contact their child in ORR care can call the ORR National Call Center, (800) 203-7001, or email information@ORRNCC.com for assistance. The call center confirms whether a child is in ORR’s care and will send information in real time regarding the caller’s inquiry to the facility in which the child is located. A caller may provide their name, documentation information, background on relationship with child, etc. This information is collected by the call center and sent to the facility. The call center does not verify or authenticate relationships and therefore CANNOT share the location or other personal information regarding the child with the caller. The ORR facility is responsible for responding to a parent/sponsor/legal representative and collects information necessary to verify the relationship and place the child with the parent/guardian/sponsor.
 

Protecting Privacy

Part of ORR’s mission is to protect the privacy and ensure the safety of children. Unaccompanied alien children have different reasons for undertaking the long and dangerous journey to the United States. Children may be escaping violent communities or abusive family relationships. Their ages and the hazardous journey make unaccompanied alien children especially vulnerable to human trafficking, exploitation, and abuse.  

To safeguard the privacy of children in ORR care, and consistent with respect to the treatment of any minor child in the U.S., it is ORR’s policy towards the media not to discuss individual cases and to prohibit photography, recordings, videos, or any other images of unaccompanied alien children to protect privacy and minimize potential dangers to the child and the child’s family and sponsor.