ICE visits homes of unaccompanied minors in Houston, sparking legal concerns

ICE agents checking on minors

ICE officials are performing welfare checks on unaccompanied children in Houston. Now, that's something that's typically done by a social worker assigned by the federal government. Immigration attorneys representing those minors say this is all part of a targeted attack by the Trump administration.

HOUSTON - Immigration attorneys in Houston are raising alarms as ICE officials reportedly visit homes where unaccompanied immigrant children are staying with family members. The visits are part of what attorneys describe as a targeted effort by the Trump administration.

What they're saying:

Alexa Sendukas, managing attorney for the Galveston-Houston Immigrant Representation Project (GHIRP), reports that her clients have experienced nine visits from ICE officials in the past week. These visits are unannounced and target unaccompanied minors and their sponsors by name.

Sendukas expressed concern over the administration's focus on unaccompanied children for enforcement purposes, especially as federal funding for non-profit legal representation has been cut. 

"Right now, this administration is targeting unaccompanied children for enforcement purposes, and it’s at the same time that they have cut the funding for the non-profit lawyers representing the children," she said.

The situation presents an uphill battle for immigration attorneys representing these minors, who face expedited court proceedings known as "rocket dockets." Sendukas noted. "We are now seeing kids being scheduled for asylum interviews over the same few days."

An unaccompanied minor is defined as a migrant under the age of 18 who seeks asylum at the border without a parent or legal guardian. Sendukas shared a poignant example: "Our youngest is two years old. Even a two-year-old is issued a notice to appear in immigration court. One day she will be up against a judge and government attorney, and she will have to fight against her deportation."

The GHIRP continues to advocate for these minors, emphasizing the trauma caused by family separation. 

"Family separation, as we know from the prior Trump administration, causes a lot of trauma for the families involved, and it’s a trauma that takes a lot of work to fix. Sometimes the kid never recovers from it," Sendukas said.

Unaccompanied minors in Texas and Harris County

By the numbers:

According to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Texas has released 3,374 unaccompanied minors to sponsors in fiscal year 2025, with Harris County receiving the highest number at 1,100 minors.

Conclusion: The legal community in Houston is responding to these developments with increased advocacy and support for unaccompanied minors, as they navigate complex and expedited legal challenges.

Who is an unaccompanied minor?

An unaccompanied child is defined by U.S. law as someone who enters the United States:

• Under the age of 18 years old,
• Without lawful status, and
• Without an accompanying parent or legal guardian.

Legal battle

Dig deeper:

In March, the Trump administration terminated legal representation for unaccompanied minors. GHIRP is one of several organizations that are suing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the ORR, and the U.S. Department of the Interior in an effort to restore funding for legal representation for unaccompanied children.

Spring Festival 2025 Fundraiser

What you can do:

GHIRP is hosting a fundraiser event to celebrate, raise awareness, and support GHIRP's mission of building a diverse and resilient community. It will take place from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. on April 26 at Dan Electro's 1031 East 24th St, Houston, TX 77009. You can read more about the event here.