Former ICE official claims 145,000 unaccompanied migrant children unaccounted for nationally, sparking debate over data accuracy and media coverage.

On February 12, 2026, former Trump border czar Tom Homan claimed ICE found 3,364 missing unaccompanied alien children in Minnesota and 145,000 nationally from a 2024 Homeland Security report, asserting prior administrations failed to track them. Major networks largely ignored the claims, focusing instead on enforcement drawdowns, arrests, and shootings, while outlets like USA Today and CBS Minnesota questioned the figures, noting many children were unaccounted for due to missed court appearances. Critics, including the National Immigration Forum, labeled the numbers misleading, while the Daily Wire cited whistleblowers alleging children were placed in high-risk environments. Conservative commentators accused mainstream media of bias in downplaying the findings and child safety concerns.