UAC Statistics in the US 2026 show 8,348 unaccompanied children encountered nationwide in fiscal 2026 through August 31, against 109,998 at the Southwest border in fiscal 2024. HHS held children for an average of about 190 days in fiscal 2026, and officials say they have located 157,000 of roughly 297,000 children they count as missing, a figure experts dispute.
UAC in the US 2026 – Introduction
UAC in the US now describe a very different system from the one of 2021 to 2024. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 8,348 unaccompanied alien children (UAC) nationwide in fiscal year 2026 through August 31, 2026, and 7,608 of them were at the Southwest border. At the Southwest border alone, CBP counted 109,998 in fiscal 2024. Arrivals fell about 93% in two years, yet the children already in federal care now stay far longer. Average length of care in the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) rose from 30 days in fiscal 2024 to about 190 in fiscal 2026.
The “missing children” debate drives much of the news. A 2024 DHS Inspector General report found ICE had not served notices to appear on 291,000 of the 448,000 children transferred to HHS from fiscal 2019 to 2023. In 2026, officials say they have located 157,000 children. Critics say “located” is not the same as “missing” or “found.” This report collects the latest verified numbers from CBP, ORR, DHS OIG and administration statements as of October 20, 2026. ORR warns that its fiscal 2026 data are unreconciled and may change.
Interesting Facts About UAC in the US 2026
AVERAGE LENGTH OF CARE IN ORR CUSTODY
FY2024 | ██████ 30 days
FY2025 | ███████████████████████ 117 days
FY2026 | ██████████████████████████████████████ 189.6 days
| Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| UAC encountered nationwide, FY2026 (through Aug 31) | 8,348 |
| UAC encountered at the Southwest border, FY2026 (through Aug 31) | 7,608 |
| UAC encountered at the Southwest border, FY2024 | 109,998 |
| Average length of care in ORR custody, FY2026 | About 190 days |
| Highest monthly average length of care before FY2026 (FY2020) | 69 days |
| Children transferred from ICE to HHS, FY2019-FY2023 (DHS OIG) | 448,000 |
| Children without a notice to appear (DHS OIG) | 291,000 |
| Children the administration says it has located (September 26, 2026) | 157,000 |
| Children officials say remain missing | About 140,000 |
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection data via The Center Square (October 19, 2026); HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement data via the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (August 21, 2026); DHS Office of Inspector General (2024); statements by Tom Homan reported by The Epoch Times (September 26, 2026).
The table shows a border that has nearly closed to children and a care system that has slowed down. UAC encounters fell from 109,998 at the Southwest border in fiscal 2024 to 7,608 in the first 11 months of fiscal 2026. Over the same period, average stays in ORR custody grew from 30 days to about 190, which is nearly three times the old record monthly average of 69 days.
The missing-child numbers depend on definitions. The OIG counted 448,000 transfers, 291,000 without court notices, and 32,000 no-shows. Officials now say 157,000 children have been located, with about 140,000 still unaccounted for. Those two figures sum to about 297,000, close to the OIG’s 291,000 without notices, but the administration has not published case-level data to confirm it.
UAC Border Arrivals in the US 2026: Encounters by Fiscal Year
UAC ENCOUNTERS AT THE SOUTHWEST BORDER
FY2021 | █████████████████████████████ 144,834
FY2022 | ██████████████████████████████ 149,093
FY2023 | ██████████████████████████ 131,519
FY2024 | ██████████████████████ 109,998
FY2026 | ██ 7,608 (Oct-Aug)
| Fiscal Year | Southwest Border UAC | Nationwide UAC | Change in Southwest Border Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2021 | 144,834 | 146,928 | – |
| FY2022 | 149,093 | 152,057 | +2.9% |
| FY2023 | 131,519 | 137,275 | -11.8% |
| FY2024 | 109,998 | Not stated | -16.4% |
| FY2026 (October-August) | 7,608 | 8,348 | -93.1% vs FY2024 |
Source: Congressional Research Service, Unaccompanied Alien Children: An Overview (2024); Johnston’s Archive, CBP data (FY2021-FY2023); CBP data via Data Republican and The Center Square (October 2026); change calculated.
Encounters peaked in fiscal 2022, at 149,093 at the Southwest border and 152,057 nationwide. They fell 11.8% in 2023 and 16.4% in 2024. Fiscal 2026 has recorded only 7,608 at the Southwest border in 11 months, 93.1% below fiscal 2024 over a 12-month year. That works out to about 692 a month, against about 9,170 a month in 2024.
Nationwide UAC encounters for fiscal 2026 stand at 8,348, so 91% occurred at the Southwest border. CBP’s full-year fiscal 2026 release was preliminary and had not yet published September data. All UAC figures count encounters, so a child who crosses twice counts twice. Encounter totals also include children deemed inadmissible at ports of entry, which are a small share of the whole. For the wider border picture, see our report on illegal immigration statistics in the US.
Unaccompanied Children in HHS Custody 2026: Length of Care by Month
AVERAGE LENGTH OF CARE BY MONTH, FY2026
Oct 2025 | █████████████████ 166
Dec 2025 | ██████████████████ 175
Feb 2026 | ████████████████████ 195
Apr 2026 | ██████████████████████ 215
Jun 2026 | ███████████████████ 194
Jul 2026 | ██████████████████ 183
| Period | Average Length of Care |
|---|---|
| FY2024 average | 30 days |
| FY2025 average | 117 days |
| October 2025 | 166 days |
| November 2025 | 169 days |
| December 2025 | 175 days |
| January 2026 | 185 days |
| February 2026 | 195 days |
| March 2026 | 209 days |
| April 2026 | 215 days |
| May 2026 | 205 days |
| June 2026 | 194 days |
| July 2026 | 183 days |
| FY2026 average (October-July) | 189.6 days |
Source: HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement, Unaccompanied Alien Children Data: Average Monthly Data (updated August 10, 2026), as cited in U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops comments (August 21, 2026); data are unreconciled.
Length of care has risen every year. It averaged 30 days in fiscal 2024 and 117 days in fiscal 2025. In fiscal 2026 it started at 166 days in October, peaked at 215 days in April, and eased to 183 days by July. The ten-month average of 189.6 days is more than double the highest monthly figure of the past decade, 69 days in fiscal 2020.
Fewer children entered care, yet stays grew. For children discharged, the average stay rose from 37 days in January 2025 to 194 days in March 2026, and it was 209 days for those still in care, according to a Senate Finance Committee fact-check paper. Advocates blame stricter sponsor vetting and information sharing with immigration enforcement. HHS says its vetting protects children from trafficking and abuse. The figures are still unreconciled, so ORR may revise them.
ORR Referrals and Children in Care: UAC Program Capacity in 2026
CHILDREN IN ORR CARE (1 block = 500 children)
Sept 30, 2023 | ██████████████████████ 11,064
Dec 31, 2024 | █████████████ 6,643
Nov 30, 2024 | ████████████ 6,090
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| ORR referrals from federal agencies, FY2017 | 40,810 |
| ORR referrals, FY2023 | 118,798 |
| Children placed with sponsors, FY2023 | 113,602 |
| Children in ORR care, September 30, 2023 | 11,064 |
| Children in ORR care, November 30, 2024 | 6,090 |
| Children in ORR care, December 31, 2024 | 6,643 |
| Occupancy rate, December 31, 2024 | 44% |
| Average daily referrals (30-day), December 2024 | 194 |
| Category 1 releases in March 2026 (Senate Finance paper) | 176 |
Source: HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement, Latest UC Data FY2025; HHS testimony (October 25, 2023); Senate Finance Committee (April 2026).
ORR received 118,798 referrals in fiscal 2023 and placed 113,602 children with sponsors. By September 30, 2023, 11,064 children were in care. By December 31, 2024, the count was 6,643, at 44% occupancy, with 194 average daily referrals. Referrals have fallen further since, in line with CBP encounters, but no fiscal 2026 referral total was available in the sources reviewed.
Release data are the weak point. A Senate Finance Committee fact-check paper counts 176 Category 1 releases in March 2026, after months of near-frozen timelines. Category 1 means release to a parent or legal guardian. Because sponsor information is shared with enforcement agencies, advocates say some sponsors avoid applying. The same paper says about 500 children have been returned to ORR custody since June 2025, a claim HHS has not confirmed.
Missing Unaccompanied Children in the US 2026: What the DHS Inspector General Found
DHS OIG FINDINGS, FY2019-FY2023 (1 block = 10,000 children)
Transferred to HHS | █████████████████████████████████████████████ 448,000
No notice to appear | █████████████████████████████ 291,000
Missed court hearings | ███ 32,000
| Metric | Figure | Share of Transfers |
|---|---|---|
| Children transferred from ICE to HHS, FY2019-FY2023 | 448,000 | 100% |
| Children without a notice to appear (as of May 2024) | 291,000 | 65% |
| Children who missed immigration court hearings | 32,000 | 7% |
| Children HHS could not reach in post-release calls (House Oversight, 2023) | About 85,000 | – |
| Children officials say remain missing (September 2026) | About 140,000 | – |
Source: DHS Office of Inspector General, OIG-24 and OIG-25-21 (2024 and March 2025); U.S. House Committee on Oversight (2023 letter); American Immigration Council; statements by Tom Homan (September 26, 2026).
The OIG report counted 448,000 children transferred to HHS from fiscal 2019 to 2023. ICE had not served 291,000 of them, or 65%, with a notice to appear, which is the document that starts court proceedings. Another 32,000, or 7%, missed hearings. Many of these children live with sponsors. A separate 2023 House inquiry cited about 85,000 children HHS could not reach in follow-up calls.
Those counts show gaps in tracking, not necessarily missing people. The American Immigration Council argues the OIG report reflects paperwork gaps because ICE and the immigration courts use separate address systems. Administration officials describe the same figures as children “lost” or “missing.” Both sides agree on the core fact: for hundreds of thousands of children, no agency could say with confidence where they were or whether a court had scheduled them. HHS says it has long shared data with DHS on children and sponsors.
Unaccompanied Children Found in the US 2026: Federal Announcements
CHILDREN THE ADMINISTRATION SAYS IT HAS LOCATED (1 block = 5,000 children)
Dec 2025 (nationwide) | ████████████ 62,000
Mar 3, 2026 (Noem) | █████████████████████████████ 145,000
Jun 2026 (Mullin) | █████████████████████████████ 146,000
Aug 2026 (HHS) | ██████████████████████████████ 148,000+
Sep 26, 2026 (Homan) | ███████████████████████████████ 157,000
| Date | Official | Children Located |
|---|---|---|
| December 2025 | Tom Homan, border czar | 62,000 |
| February 2026 | Tom Homan (Minnesota only) | 3,364 |
| March 3, 2026 | Kristi Noem, DHS Secretary | 145,000 |
| June 2026 | Markwayne Mullin, DHS Secretary | 146,000 |
| August 2026 | HHS announcement | 148,000+ |
| September 26, 2026 | Tom Homan | 157,000 |
| Children still missing, per Homan | – | About 140,000 |
| Deaths among those located, per Homan | – | More than 20 |
Source: Minnesota Reformer (March 9, 2026); Christian Science Monitor (August 16, 2026); The Epoch Times (September 26, 2026); DHS statements.
The announced totals rose from 62,000 in December 2025 to 157,000 in September 2026. Officials describe the effort as locating children who were “missing” after release. Homan told The Epoch Times that more than 20 of the 157,000 have died, some from natural causes and others from overdose or violence, and that about 140,000 remain to be found. The Christian Science Monitor reports that ORR says it has located more than 150,000.
The meaning of “located” is contested. Fact-checkers note that DHS has not said how many were actually missing, and that many were found at known addresses or in the system. DHS announced in November 2025 that local police partners would conduct welfare checks. Legal groups served by HHS-funded networks say they reached more than 20,000 children since late 2025. Case-level data on how children were found has not been published. Officials also say Minnesota teams located 3,364 children in February 2026 alone, which shows how much of the total comes from state and local partners.
Border Enforcement and UAC in the US 2026: CBP Totals and Removals
FY2026 NATIONWIDE CBP ENCOUNTERS (1 block = 25,000 encounters)
FY2026 total encounters | ███████████████ 379,243
FY2026 UAC encounters | ▏ 8,348
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| CBP nationwide encounters, FY2026 (preliminary) | 379,243 |
| Decline from the FY2023 peak of 2.7 million | 88% |
| Southwest border apprehensions, FY2026 decline | 95% |
| UAC share of FY2026 nationwide encounters (calculated) | 2.2% |
| Consecutive months with zero Border Patrol releases (as of September 2026) | 17 |
| ICE removals, FY2025 | 319,980 |
| ICE detention population, January 2026 | About 73,000 |
| Share of FY2024 UAC from non-contiguous countries | 87% or more |
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection preliminary fiscal 2026 data via The Center Square (October 19, 2026); ICE and TRAC via The Global Statistics; Center for Immigration Studies; UAC share calculated.
CBP’s preliminary fiscal 2026 data show 379,243 nationwide encounters, the lowest in agency history and 88% below the 2.7 million of fiscal 2023. Unaccompanied children account for just 2.2% of them. The administration says September marked the 17th month with zero Border Patrol releases. UAC are the exception, because federal law requires CBP to transfer them to HHS within 72 hours, and HHS then places them with sponsors.
Interior enforcement has grown while border crossings fell. ICE removed 319,980 people in fiscal 2025, and detention reached about 73,000 in January 2026. For the wider removal numbers, see our report on deportation statistics in the US. Most children arriving in fiscal 2024 came from non-contiguous countries, mainly Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, which means they cannot be returned across the land border within hours.
UAC in the US FAQ 2026
How many unaccompanied children crossed the border in 2026?
CBP recorded 8,348 UAC nationwide in fiscal 2026 through August 31, 2026. 7,608 were at the Southwest border.
How does 2026 compare with earlier years?
The Southwest border total was 109,998 in fiscal 2024, 131,519 in 2023, and 149,093 in 2022. Fiscal 2026 is about 93% below 2024.
How many unaccompanied children are in ORR care in 2026?
ORR does not post a clear fiscal 2026 year-end count in the sources reviewed. It had 6,643 children in care on December 31, 2024, and about 11,064 on September 30, 2023. ORR’s fiscal 2026 data are unreconciled.
How long do unaccompanied children stay in HHS custody?
About 190 days on average in fiscal 2026, up from 117 in 2025 and 30 in 2024. The monthly peak was 215 days in April 2026.
How many unaccompanied children are missing in the US?
No agency has a verified count. The DHS Inspector General found 291,000 children without a notice to appear and 32,000 who missed court. Officials say about 140,000 remain unaccounted for, but they have not published the method.
How many missing children have been found?
The administration says it has located 157,000 as of September 26, 2026, and that more than 20 have died. The figure has risen from 62,000 in December 2025.
Does “located” mean children were rescued?
Not necessarily. Fact-checkers note most children were found with sponsors or in government records. DHS has not said how many were in danger.
What is the difference between missing and unaccounted for?
A child can be unaccounted for in ICE’s system without being in danger. The American Immigration Council says the 32,000 no-shows reflect address gaps. Officials treat the same group as at risk.
What are Category 1 releases?
Releases of children to a parent or legal guardian. ORR made 176 such releases in March 2026, after months of near-frozen timelines, according to a Senate Finance Committee fact-check paper.
Where do unaccompanied children come from?
At least 87% of fiscal 2024 UAC came from non-contiguous countries, mainly Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. For ICE’s nationality data on enforcement, see our ICE deportation list by country.
How many children were transferred to HHS from 2019 to 2023?
448,000, according to the DHS Inspector General. Most were released to sponsors while their immigration cases proceeded.
Did the number of children in HHS care fall in 2026?
Yes, because fewer children arrive, but each child stays longer. Average stays reached 215 days in April 2026. Total counts for 2026 are unreconciled in ORR’s own data.
What law governs how children are treated?
The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act requires CBP to transfer children from non-contiguous countries to HHS within 72 hours, and it limits quick return of those children across the border.
How does an unaccompanied child get a lawyer?
Federal law requires HHS to secure legal help “to the greatest extent practicable.” Acacia Center for Justice says its network has served more than 20,000 children since late 2025, though HHS withheld funding amid a data-sharing dispute.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
