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The Unaccompanied Children Bureau (UCB) provides for the care and placement of unaccompanied minors who are apprehended in the U.S. by Homeland Security agents, Border patrol agents, or other federal law enforcement agencies and are taken into care pending resolution of their claims for relief under U.S. immigration law or release to parent, adult family members, or another responsible adult. Resolution of their claims may result in release, granting of an immigration status (such as special immigrant juvenile or asylum), voluntary departure, or removal. The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), Unaccompanied Children Bureau has six Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) under this program, which delineate the different types of care for Unaccompanied Children: Shelter and Transitional Foster Care (Shelter/TFC) Staff-Secure, Long-Term Foster Care (LTFC), Therapeutic Group Home, Residential Treatment Center, Home Study and Post-Release Services, and Unaccompanied Lived Experience and Youth Engagement Program.
This chart shows obligations for the program by fiscal year. All data for this chart was provided by the
administering agency and sourced from SAM.gov, USASpending.gov, and Treasury.gov.
For more information on each of these data sources, please see the
About the data page.
So far, In FY16 the program placed over 36,000 unaccompanied children, already surpassing FY 15 annual total. The program awarded new contracts for legal services which included funding for paid as well as probono representation of UC in and formerly in ORR custody. The program has currently published six (6) Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) for Residential shelter capacity and Post Release Services. The program will increase monitoring of programs to ensure compliance with regulations and policy and procedures. In FY16 the program placed over 59,000 unaccompanied children, a record number of UAC served in the history of the program. The program awarded new contracts for legal services which included funding for paid as well as pro-bono representation of UC in and formerly in ORR custody. The program has published six (6) Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) for Residential shelter capacity and Post Release Services for award in 2017. The program will increase monitoring of programs to ensure compliance with regulations and policy and procedures. Fiscal Year 2017: The fluctuations underscore the unpredictable nature of referrals, which creates serious operational challenges if there is not a mechanism to provide additional resources, if needed. To accommodate the record number of referrals, ORR awarded 5 emergency shelter contracts to support the operations of temporary emergency shelters on federal land parcels to accommodate periods of influx of arrivals.
In the first and part of the second quarter of FY2017, referrals of UAC continued to be elevated necessitating use of two temporary emergency shelters operated by contractors. Referrals significantly decreased in the latter half of the second quarter of FY2017. There has been steady increase in referral numbers the third quarter. To maintain a standard level of bed capacity program awarded 76 new grants and 6 continuation grants for residential services to ensure that capacity is available to accommodate any referrals and services required.
In FY 2018 we completed approximately 9 supplements. ORR issued one (1) deployment task order to stand up the Homestead temporary shelter influx site.
In 2019, the Unaccompanied Alien Children’s Program awarded a total of 115 new grants in the following categories: Shelter/TFC: A total of 69 awards were issued of which 12 were Supplements and 57 non-competing continuations. LTFC: A total of 19 awards were issued all of which were non-competing continuations. Secure: A total of 3 awards were issued all of which were non-competing continuations. Staff Secure: A total of 8 awards were issued all of which were non-competing continuations. Therapeutic: A total of 5 awards were issued all of which were non-competing continuations. Home Study and Post Release: A total of 11 awards were issued all of which were non-competing continuations.
The Unaccompanied Children’s Program began the year experiencing lower-than-normal referral numbers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning in February 2021, referrals increased substantially. The program received a total of 72,611 referrals across all levels of care in FY 21 through July. During the same time frame, the program successfully discharged a grand total of 50,216 children. The Program received a total of 122,731 referrals through FY21. For Shelter/TFC a total of 146 non-competing continuations were issued LTFC: A total of 23 non-competing continuations awards were issued Secure: 1 non-competing continuation was issued. Staff Secure: A total of 6 non-competing continuations awards were issued. Therapeutic: A total of 9 non-competing continuations awards were issued Home Study and Post Release Services: A total of 16 non-competing continuations awards were issued.
In FY 2023, the program has received a total of 81,828 referrals across all levels of care, as of June 22, 2023. During the same time frame, the program has successfully discharged a grand total of 85,557 children. The program will continue to assess the services it provides to Unaccompanied Children to ensure and maintain its service delivery model. In addition, the program has made a total of 149 awards in the following categories: Shelter/TFC: A total of 34 awards were issued of which 4 were new awards. Shelter/TFC-Prelicensed: A total of 7 awards were issued of which 1 was a new award. Shelter/TFC-Prelicensed: A total of 50 awards were issued of which 6 were new awards. Shelter/TFC: An estimated total of 40 non-competing continuation awards were issued. LTFC: A total of 17 awards were issued of which 1 was a new award. Staff Secure: A total of 1 award was issued. Home Study and Post Release Services: New awards will be issued in September 2023.
In FY 2024, UCB has received a total of 79,412 referrals across all levels of care, as of June 20, 2023. During the same time frame, the program has successfully discharged a grand total of 82,737 children. The program will continue to assess the services it provides to Unaccompanied Children to ensure and maintain its service delivery model. In addition, the program has made a total of 33 awards in the following categories: Shelter/TFC: A total of 6 awards were issued of which one was a new award. Long Term Foster Care: A total of 22 awards were issued of which 0 was a new award. Residential Treatment Center: A total of 3 awards were issued of which 0 were new awards. Therapeutic Group Home: of 2 awards were issued of which 0 was a new award.
In FY 2025, UCB expects referral levels to match FY 2024. Referral levels are inherently unpredictable, and changes from FY2024 levels could affect funding amounts. The program anticipates posting and awarding NOFOs in FY 2025.
Single Audit Applies (2 CFR Part 200 Subpart F):
For additional information on single audit requirements for this program, review the current Compliance Supplement.
OMB is working with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and agency offices of inspectors general to include links to relevant oversight reports. This section will be updated once this information is made available.
