H.R. 5324: No More Missing Children Act

This bill, known as the No More Missing Children Act, aims to establish a new program called the Unaccompanied Alien Child Anti-Trafficking Program. The main goal of this program is to prevent the trafficking, disappearance, or loss of unaccompanied alien children in the United States.

Program Establishment

The bill mandates the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, to create the Anti-Trafficking Program specifically for unaccompanied alien children. The program will be responsible for enrolling children who meet certain criteria.

Enrollment of Children

The program will enroll:

• All unaccompanied alien children released from custody on or after the date the bill is enacted.
• All unaccompanied alien children who were released before this date but are physically present in the U.S. at the time of the bill’s enactment.

Children will remain enrolled in the program until they are either removed from the U.S., reach the age of 18, or obtain legal status.

Duties of the Secretary

The Secretary will have several responsibilities under the program, including:

• Vetting sponsors to ensure they are eligible to care for the children they take in.
• Monitoring each unaccompanied alien child and their sponsor using GPS technology.
• Conducting monthly reporting through phone calls for children over the age of four.
• Collecting DNA samples from the children, their sponsors, and adult household members to confirm biological relationships.
• Taking immediate custody of any child suspected to be at risk of exploitation or abuse.
• Conducting home visits before and after a child’s placement with a sponsor.

Vetting of Sponsors

Before placing a child with a sponsor, the Secretary must ensure a thorough vetting process. This includes:

• Obtaining biometric information from sponsors and adult household members.
• Conducting background checks involving various legal and public records.
• Ensuring no sponsor has a criminal background that disqualifies them from caring for the child.

Ongoing checks will also be performed to ensure sponsors remain eligible throughout the period of care.

Sponsor Eligibility Criteria

The bill sets forth strict criteria determining who can be a sponsor. A sponsor, or any adult member of their household, cannot:

• Be in the U.S. unlawfully, unless they are a parent or relative of the child.
• Be associated with criminal organizations or have a serious criminal record.
• Be a registered sex offender.

Consequences for Non-Compliance

If a sponsor fails to meet the program's requirements or if there is non-compliance with conditions of release, several actions can be taken:

• Placement of the child with that sponsor will be terminated.
• The Secretary will take custody of the child.
• The sponsor will be prohibited from sponsoring other children.

Definitions

The bill also provides multiple definitions relevant to the operation of the program, including the meanings of terms like "unaccompanied alien child," "adult," and "criminal street gang."

Relevant Companies