This bill creates stricter rules for who can take custody of unaccompanied migrant children in the U.S. Right now, when children arrive at the border without parents, the government places them with sponsors—usually family members or other caregivers. This bill says those sponsors must pass thorough background checks before getting a child, including fingerprint checks, sex offender registry searches, criminal history reviews, and child abuse checks. Everyone in the sponsor's household who is 18 or older also has to pass these same checks.

The bill also requires government officials to visit the homes where children are placed—once before the child arrives, then at least five surprise visits during the first year and one visit every three months after that. Additionally, sponsors who are in the country illegally can only take a child if they're the biological parent, legal guardian, or relative. The government must also go back and vet all sponsors who received children since January 2021 if they haven't been checked yet.

Finally, the bill requires the government to submit detailed reports to Congress every month showing how many children were encountered, how many background checks were completed, how many home visits happened, and whether any children have gone missing or can't be located. The goal is to prevent human trafficking and abuse by making sure children are placed with safe, vetted caregivers and are regularly checked on after placement.

Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2025

Scott, Rick

Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2025This bill establishes requirements relating to placing unaccompanied alien children with sponsors. (Under federal law, an unaccompanied alien child is a minor with no lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the United States to provide care and physical custody.)Before the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may release such a child to a sponsor, the sponsor must complete a fingerprint background check and vetting that includes (1) a public records check, (2) a National Sex Offender Registry check, (3) a Federal Bureau of Investigation National Criminal History Check, (4) a child abuse and neglect check, and (5) state and local criminal history checks. Each adult in the sponsor's household must also undergo such vetting before the placement.The bill also requires HHS to visit the home of a proposed sponsor before the placement and to conduct periodic home visits after.A child may not be placed with a sponsor who is unlawfully present in the United States unless the sponsor is the child's parent, relative, or legal guardian.HHS must retroactively apply these vetting standards to all sponsors for placements made since January 20, 2021.