Attorney General Clark Joins Multistate Coalition in Opposing New Barriers to Sponsorship of Unaccompanied Children

Attorney General Charity Clark today joined a coalition of 18 other attorneys general in submitting a comment letter opposing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) proposed rule that would add burdensome new requirements for sponsors of unaccompanied immigrant children. The coalition argues that the proposed rule's requirements related to proof of identity and proof of income for potential sponsors will create barriers that will make it more difficult for immigrant family members and other qualified sponsors to sponsor unaccompanied children, decreasing the number of available sponsors and prolonging children's time in federal custody.

In the comment letter, the coalition argues that the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) failed to provide adequate justification for the proposed rule's changes to the proof of income and proof of identity requirements, which directly interfere with HHS's and ORR's obligations under The William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) and the Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule (Foundational Rule). The TVPRA and the Foundational Rule, respectively, require that HHS and ORR place children in the least restrictive environment that is in the best interests of the child and to release children without unnecessary delay.

In submitting this comment letter, Attorney General Clark joins the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaiʻi, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Virginia, and Washington.