Are We Getting the Truth About Children at the Border?

Press Releases

April 12, 2018

IRLI sues HHS for records on UAC arrivals, ages of alien children

WASHINGTON—The Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI), on behalf of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, filed suit recently against the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), seeking records related to agency communications and data on the arrivals of alien children entering the United States.

IRLI attorneys filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia as HHS has failed to produce the requested records pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). IRLI is requesting data on unaccompanied alien children (UACs) who have entered the United States since 2012. Title 6 of the U.S. Code defines an “unaccompanied alien child” as a person who has no immigration status in the United States, is under the age of 18, and has no parent or legal guardian in the United States who is available to provide physical care and physical custody. The suits calls for data on the number of UAC arrivals and how many were turned over to family members under the family unification process over the last seven years.

IRLI also seeks to obtain communications between HHS employees and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) between 2014 and 2018. The USCCB has been a critic of pro-enforcement immigration policies and has advocated for more permissive laws regarding illegal aliens.

“The details of unaccompanied alien children coming into this country are largely unknown to most Americans,” said Dale L. Wilcox, executive director and general counsel of IRLI. “How many of them are coming here? How are they being processed? This is yet another area of immigration policy where more transparency is needed.”

The case is FAIR v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, No. 18-791 (U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia).

For additional information, contact: Brian Lonergan • 202-232-5590 • [email protected]

Get Connected

Sign up for our email newsletter to stay up to date with immigration reform in the United States.

Attorneys United for a Secure America (AUSA) is a non-partisan affiliation of talented attorneys dedicated to pursuing cases that serve the national interest when it comes to immigration law.

If you are interested in joining the network, visit the AUSA website.