The U.S. bishops raised concerns about proposed federal sponsor-vetting rules, warning that they could further delay the release of unaccompanied migrant children and deepen the harms of prolonged custody.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) refugee office proposed a rule on June 26 to update how it runs the program for unaccompanied children, including adding tougher background checks for adults who want to take in those children.
In a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., William Quinn, general counsel for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), warned that the proposed rule could negatively affect unaccompanied children and their families.
The rule would add more requirements for evaluating sponsors before releasing unaccompanied migrant children from federal custody to them, including proof of identity and income, and background checks for sponsors and adult household members.
The bishops said they're "grateful" for efforts to ensure "children are placed in safe and stable environments upon their release from government custody" but warned proposed sponsor-vetting rules exclude otherwise eligible parents and relatives from sponsoring children, the letter said.
The bishops said they fear the proposed rule could keep children separated from their families longer because some parents or relatives "without lawful immigration status" may not have the documents the government would require including proof of identity and income. Under federal law, prospective sponsors may be noncitizens, including those without lawful immigration status.
The bishops warned that without enough flexibility, the rules could block eligible parents and relatives from taking in children, making reunification harder and keeping kids in government custody longer.
Longer custody stays for migrant children
The bishops said they are concerned about a "striking increase in the average length of time children are already spending" in the government's care, the letter said.
The letter detailed federal data that found an increase in the average length of care over the past 10 fiscal years. Average monthly time in government care has surged in fiscal 2026 even as far fewer children entered the system, according to HHS data.
The average length of care in fiscal 2026 so far is nearly 190 days, according to federal data. The number is up from 2025, when the average stay was 117 days.
Previously, the highest monthly average length of care was 69 days in fiscal 2020. The average decreased during the Biden administration with an average number of 33 days in government care in 2021 and 29 days in 2022.
The bishops' letter also points to government research indicating that children who remain in custody for prolonged periods of time can experience more stress, anxiety, and behavioral issues. These affects could lead to higher levels of defiance, hopelessness, and frustration, as well as more instances of self-harm and suicidal ideation, the letter said.
Proposed recommendations
"Pope Leo XIV has referred to children as 'the most vulnerable group within the global movements of migration,'" the letter said.
"Unaccompanied children are particularly vulnerable to human trafficking, domestic servitude, and other exploitative situations. The Church considers it a moral obligation on the part of society as a whole to ensure that all children are protected from such harms, consistent with their God-given dignity," the letter said.
To carry out this obligation, the bishops said they urge the government "to maintain and ensure reasonable flexibility regarding sponsor suitability requirements proposed."
They asked that the government allow "deviation from the enumerated list of documents on a case-by-case basis" and allow "waivers for the requirement to collect Social Security or taxpayer identification numbers."
They added that an "inability to show formal proof of income should not automatically disqualify a prospective sponsor."
The bishops said while the changes aim to fix problems in how sponsors are vetted, the government's own poor recordkeeping is one reason those problems exist. A 2024 HHS inspector general report found serious failures in how the agency documented the vetting.
The letter highlighted the need for "post-release services," including access to legal counsel, enforcement of federal anti-trafficking and child labor laws, and general protection of children after reunification with a safe sponsor.
