Democrat Senator Blumenthal Asks Kristi Noem to ‘Put Aside’ Biden’s 300,000+ Missing Kids [WATCH]

Republican South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, nominated to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), faced heated questioning from Democratic Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal during her confirmation hearing on Friday.

The exchange centered on the Biden administration’s handling of migrant children and the broader issue of family separation at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Blumenthal pressed Noem to commit to efforts aimed at reuniting migrant children separated from their parents.

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The senator referenced what he described as lingering impacts of policies from President-elect Donald Trump’s first term, which Noem disputed.

“Senator, the Trump administration never had a family separation policy,” Noem stated.

“They had a zero tolerance policy which said that our laws would be followed. What I’m alarmed by is the over 300,000 children that went missing during the Biden administration. When we talk about children and what they’re potentially facing in this country, and the trafficking that’s going on, this administration’s lack of desire to find out where those children are or what they may be going through is alarming to me. So I want to stop that.”

Blumenthal attempted to redirect the discussion, urging Noem to “put aside the labels, let’s put aside what happened in the past” and focus on reunifying the estimated 1,000 children still separated from their parents.

“I’d like your commitment that you’re going to continue the effort to reunite them with their parents,” he said.

Noem, however, emphasized her broader concerns about the safety and well-being of children unaccounted for under the Biden administration.

“Senator, keeping families together is critically important to me and this country. I’m concerned about the fact that we no longer have Laken Riley and other children. I’m concerned that we have people in this country that don’t know where their children are, or people in other countries who sent their children here and they’ve been lost by this administration.”

She vowed to prioritize upholding immigration laws, preventing trafficking, and keeping families intact. “We will uphold our law, and we’ll make sure we’re doing everything we can to keep our children safe from the trafficking and drug epidemic that’s hit this country,” Noem added.

RICHARD BLUMENTHAL: “Will you help me reunite children with their parents who were separated by Trump’s family separation policy?”

KRISTI NOEM: “What I’m alarmed by is the over 300,000 children that went missing during the Biden administration.”

BLUMENTHAL: “Let’s put aside the… pic.twitter.com/j13huXJTjE

— KanekoaTheGreat (@KanekoaTheGreat) January 17, 2025

The exchange took place against the backdrop of alarming reports about the federal government’s inability to track tens of thousands of migrant children.

A report from the DHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in August revealed that since 2019, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials lost track of at least 32,000 migrant children who failed to appear for court dates.

Additionally, 291,000 children were released into the U.S. without receiving court dates, placing them at heightened risk for trafficking and exploitation.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), tasked with placing unaccompanied minors with adult sponsors, has reunited roughly one-third of the children with their parents.

The remaining children have been placed with relatives or, in some cases, individuals not properly vetted.

According to an internal investigation by the inspector general, some minors were placed in homes deemed unsuitable, including with adults who had criminal records.

Republican Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy released a report further criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of unaccompanied migrant children.

Cassidy’s report alleged widespread failures that enabled abuse and exploitation of minors, intensifying scrutiny of current immigration policies.

As Noem’s confirmation process continues, her statements highlight the ongoing debate over the federal government’s approach to immigration enforcement and the care of vulnerable migrant children.

Her commitment to addressing trafficking, enforcing immigration laws, and reuniting families could set the tone for DHS priorities under the incoming administration.

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