I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8020 
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish data 
on the Unaccompanied Children Program. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 16, 2024 
Ms. ESHOO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
to publish data on the Unaccompanied Children Program. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Transparency for Un-
accompanied Children Act’’. 
SEC. 2. ONLINE PUBLICATION OF DATA ON THE UNACCOM-
PANIED CHILDREN PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and monthly thereafter, the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services shall publish, on 
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a publicly accessible webpage of the Department of Health 
and Human Services, data on the Unaccompanied Chil-
dren Program. 
(b) REQUIRED DATA.—The data published pursuant 
to subsection (a) shall include the following: 
(1) The total number of unaccompanied alien 
children transferred to the Office of Refugee Reset-
tlement (ORR) during the previous month. 
(2) The total number of unaccompanied alien 
children discharged by ORR into the custody of 
sponsors during the previous month, disaggregated 
by the number of such children discharged to a 
sponsor who is— 
(A) a parent or legal guardian of the dis-
charged child; 
(B) a brother, sister, or grandparent of the 
discharged child, or an aunt, uncle, or first 
cousin of the discharged child who previously 
served as the child’s primary caregiver; 
(C) an aunt, uncle, or first cousin of the 
discharged child who was not previously the 
child’s primary caregiver; or 
(D) a distant relative of the discharged 
child or not related to the discharged child. 
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(3) The total number of unaccompanied alien 
children who were discharged by ORR into the cus-
tody of sponsors during the previous month, and 
who meet the requirements for a mandatory home 
study under section 235(c)(3)(B) of the William 
Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reau-
thorization Act of 2008 (8 U.S.C. 1232(c)(3)(B)), 
disaggregated by the number of such children dis-
charged to a sponsor who is— 
(A) a parent or legal guardian of the dis-
charged child; 
(B) a brother, sister, or grandparent of the 
discharged child, or an aunt, uncle, or first 
cousin of the discharged child who previously 
served as the child’s primary caregiver; 
(C) an aunt, uncle, or first cousin of the 
discharged child who was not previously the 
child’s primary caregiver; or 
(D) a distant relative of the discharged 
child or not related to the discharged child. 
(4) The average length of time spent in ORR 
custody by unaccompanied alien children who were 
discharged from ORR custody during the previous 
month. 
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(5) The total number of home studies con-
ducted by ORR (or by an ORR grantee or con-
tractor) to assess whether potential sponsors are 
able and willing to care for an unaccompanied alien 
child, disaggregated by the number of such home 
studies that are— 
(A) mandatory under current law or exist-
ing ORR policies; or 
(B) discretionary under current law and 
existing ORR policies. 
(6) The total number of sponsorship applica-
tions that were pending with ORR at any point dur-
ing the previous month, disaggregated by the num-
ber of such applications that— 
(A) were approved during the previous 
month; 
(B) were denied during the previous 
month; or 
(C) remained pending as of the end of the 
previous month. 
(7) The total number of sponsorship applica-
tions that were pending with ORR at any point dur-
ing the previous month and submitted by any indi-
vidual seeking to become the sponsor of an unaccom-
panied alien child who meets the requirements for a 
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mandatory home study under section 1232(c)(3)(B) 
of title 8, United States Code, disaggregated by the 
number of such applications that— 
(A) were approved during the previous 
month; 
(B) were denied during the previous 
month; or 
(C) remained pending as of the end of the 
previous month. 
(8) The total number of calls received by the 
ORR National Call Center during the previous 
month reporting instances of trafficking, neglect, or 
abuse of children discharged into the custody of 
sponsors by ORR. 
(9) The total number of follow-up calls to dis-
charged children and their sponsors conducted by 
ORR (or by an ORR grantee or contractor) during 
the previous month, disaggregated by the number of 
such calls conducted— 
(A) in accordance with the timeframe re-
quired by ORR policy; or 
(B) later than required by ORR policy. 
(10) The total number of unaccompanied alien 
children discharged from ORR custody who have re-
ceived post-release services furnished by ORR during 
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the previous month, disaggregated by the number of 
such children who have received— 
(A) one or more virtual check-ins; 
(B) case management services; or 
(C) intensive in-home services and engage-
ment. 
(11) The total number of unaccompanied alien 
children discharged from ORR custody who have re-
ceived full legal representation furnished by ORR 
during the previous month. 
(c) NOTIFICATION
OF CONGRESSIONAL COMMIT-
TEES.—Upon publishing new monthly data pursuant to 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Health and Human Serv-
ices shall notify the Chair and ranking member of— 
(1) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of 
the House of Representatives; 
(2) the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; 
(3) the Committee on Oversight and Account-
ability of the House of Representatives; and 
(4) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
Governmental Affairs of the Senate. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
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(1) The term ‘‘ORR’’ means the Office of Ref-
ugee Resettlement of the Department of Health and 
Human Services. 
(2) The term ‘‘sponsor’’ means an individual 
who has been selected by the Department of Health 
and Human Services to be the custodian of an unac-
companied alien child under section 235(c)(3) of the 
William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection 
Reauthorization Act of 2008 (8 U.S.C. 1232(c)(3)). 
(3) The term ‘‘sponsorship application’’ means 
the application submitted to ORR by an individual 
seeking to become the custodian of an unaccom-
panied alien child. 
(4) The term ‘‘unaccompanied alien child’’ has 
the meaning given to such term in section 462(g)(2) 
of the Homeland Secretary Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 
279(g)(2)). 
(5) The term ‘‘Unaccompanied Children Pro-
gram’’ means the program of ORR for the care and 
custody of unaccompanied alien children under sec-
tion 235(b) of the William Wilberforce Trafficking 
Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (8 
U.S.C. 1232(b)). 
Æ 
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