The Trump administration has identified more than 15,000 cases of adults gaining custody of multiple illegal immigrant children who enter the U.S. without a parent, officials said Thursday, signaling a potential push to prosecute prolific child sponsors.

Concerns Over Sponsor Vetting

Under the Biden administration, officials tried to release children to eligible adult sponsors within 30 days, reuniting many families quickly. However, the approach also yielded errors, with some children being released to adults who forced them to work illegally, or to people who provided clearly false identification and addresses.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated, ‘We will not accept half measures when it comes to securing the border, protecting American lives and saving children from exploitation.’ The administration has tightened rules aimed at preventing traffickers from illegally bringing children into the country, leading to a dramatic increase in federal custody times for kids.

Charges Against Sponsors

The cases announced Thursday include charges against a woman who, authorities say, was living in the U.S. illegally, schemed with others to smuggle kids across the border, then used fake identities to gain custody of them in exchange for money.

Critics of the Trump administration have raised concerns over wellness checks carried out by immigration officers at elementary schools, immigration officers showing up and detaining sponsors at reunification meetings with children, and newly required documentation that’s created a ‘paperwork barrier’ and led to a recent lawsuit.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.