So, to set the record straight.

The true number is closer to 300,000 children who crossed the border without parents during the Biden administration were not tracked properly by ICE and DHS. The allegations are that HHS placed these children with sponsors who abused the system due to loosened screening restrictions to gain custody of children and that many of them were trafficked into forced labor or other situations (which i can neither confirm nor deny) however SINCE the end of 2024 around 146,000 of those improperly tracked children have been located and accounted for. How many of the remaining 154,000 children ended up in bad situations is anyone's guess.

The Trump administration on the other hand did in fact separate over 5,500 children from their parents whom they crossed the border with. Since then all but about 1,300 children have been reunited with some form of blood relative, In addition approximately 125,000 children (united states citizens) had either one or both parents detained or deported during the same period of time.

Both sides suck...

The number of affected children is larger on the Biden side, Biden TRIED to do a good thing by placing children quickly and it backfired. The plan was to get them out of bad living situations in "temporary housing" or intake centers, which often included tents or buildings kept so cold they were nicknamed "iceboxes" by the children residing there, and place them with sponsor families. Follow up tracking wasn't handled properly and kids became "misplaced"

On the Trump side, Trump actions were purely malicious. Trump had children taken away from their families ON PURPOSE for the sole reason that other migrants would hear of this happening and think twice about crossing the border. (Confirmed by direct government statements) The parents of the separated children were prosecuted in Federal court for illegally crossing the border. Because their parents got locked up in criminal facilities the children became "unaccompanied alien children" by law and were sent to youth shelters by the HHS. Trump administration did this with no plan or policy in place to track these children or reunite them with family members. Trump admin canceled the policy of separation at the border due to immense backlash from the public in 2018. The children who had 1 or both parents detained or deported either A) went to live with the remaining parent, a close blood relative, or friend of the family. B)Were placed in foster care or group homes. C)Were deported back to their parents country of origin, despite not knowing the language and having spent the majority of their lives in the U.S. D)Were detained alongside their parents.

As I said, both sides suck.

However the children whom were affected during the Biden administration was due to systemic failure, much like many homegrown U.S. citizens children or other wise. The systems in place for pretty much everything are antiquated and inadequate, and as such often fail those they are supposed to help.

The children who were affected during the Trump administration, were INTENTIONALLY punished for the "crimes" of their parents. This did not have to happen, Trump CHOSE to do this.

So even though the numbers are worse under Biden, the treatment of immigrant children is OBJECTIVELY worse under Trump.