Sen. Cornyn, Rep. Cuellar Demand Answers From HHS on Security of Unaccompanied Minors Against Traffickers

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, the Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and Border Security, and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, yesterday wrote to Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell regarding the growing humanitarian crisis along Texas’ Southern border. The letter poses a series of questions related to the nearly 50,000 unaccompanied children who have been apprehended at the Southern border, including whether there are measures in place to track their whereabouts and safety following release from HHS custody.

Does HHS conduct criminal background checks and national security checks on guardians prior to releasing unaccompanied alien children to their custody? … In the past Fiscal Year, has HHS released any unaccompanied alien children into the custody of a person with a criminal record? If so, how many of these children have been released to such individuals? What types of crimes have these individuals committed?