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ICE to Launch Call Center for Tracking Unaccompanied Migrant Children
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is establishing a national call center in Nashville, Tennessee, to help local and state law enforcement agencies locate unaccompanied migrant children who entered the country illegally, according to federal contracting documents released this week.
The agency cited an “immediate need” for a 24/7 operation capable of handling 6,000 to 7,000 daily inquiries. ICE aims to open the center by the end of March with full operational capability expected by June. The agency is currently seeking information from potential vendors about available technologies that could “maximize call efficiency.”
Simultaneously, ICE issued a separate notice seeking vendors able to transport thousands of immigration detainees daily throughout Texas, where a new state law taking effect next year will require all counties with jails to enter into formal partnerships with ICE.
These initiatives are part of a broader expansion of immigration enforcement following the allocation of $170 billion for immigration and border security in legislation signed by President Donald Trump in July. The administration has significantly increased partnerships with local and state law enforcement agencies to enforce immigration laws.
The Trump administration has implemented several policy changes targeting unaccompanied minors and intensified deportation efforts. As of July, approximately 2,000 unaccompanied children were in government custody.
Under U.S. law, an unaccompanied migrant child is defined as someone under 18 who lacks lawful immigration status and has no parent or legal guardian in the country available to provide care and physical custody.
In recent years, hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied minors have arrived at the U.S. southern border. Current procedure dictates that when these children enter the country, Border Patrol transfers them to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, which places them in a nationwide network of shelters. Children can eventually be released to sponsors, typically parents, relatives, or family friends.
The Trump administration has undertaken a comprehensive review of approximately 450,000 migrant children who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border without parents during President Biden’s term. Federal authorities have intensified scrutiny of children’s sponsors, implementing requirements such as DNA testing and fingerprinting. While officials maintain these measures are safety precautions, immigrant advocacy groups have expressed skepticism, citing the administration’s well-documented zero-tolerance immigration approach and mass deportation agenda.
The contracting notice did not specify why Nashville was selected as the call center location. However, CoreCivic Inc., one of the nation’s largest private detention contractors, is headquartered there. The company has contributed millions to Republican candidates at various government levels and has seen an increase in ICE contracts during the current administration. A CoreCivic spokesperson did not comment on whether the company would bid for the call center contract.
For the Texas transportation initiative, ICE is seeking vendors capable of moving detainees from various locations—including hospitals, private residences, and traffic stops—to one of 36 different ICE offices within 30 minutes. The agency anticipates six daily trips transporting approximately 30 detainees in armed-guard escorted SUVs from regional hubs near each county jail. Selected vendors would need to establish their own transportation hubs within six months of contract award.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on either initiative.
These developments represent significant operational expansions for ICE as the administration continues to implement its immigration policy priorities, with particular focus on unaccompanied minors and coordination with local law enforcement agencies across the country.
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6 Comments
This call center seems like a concerning expansion of immigration enforcement. I hope they handle it with care and respect for the children’s wellbeing.
This seems like a concerning expansion of immigration enforcement efforts. I hope the call center staff are properly trained to handle these sensitive cases with empathy.
I’m curious to learn more about the technologies they plan to use to ‘maximize call efficiency.’ Efficiency is important, but not at the expense of compassion.
Agreed. The priority should be connecting these vulnerable children with the proper support services, not just rapid processing.
The timing of this new call center, alongside increased immigration detainee transportation, raises questions about the administration’s immigration priorities.
While I understand the need for secure borders, unaccompanied migrant children should be treated humanely and connected with social services, not just processed through a call center.