By The Opinion
A 3-year-old migrant girl allegedly suffered sexual abuse while in federal custody in the United Statesaccording to a lawsuit that exposes flaws in the child protection system and long delays in their family reunification.
According to information initially reported by the AP agency, the minor spent five months in a foster home after being separated from her mother after crossing the border between Mexico and the United States in September of last year. During that period, his father, a legal permanent resident, attempted unsuccessfully to expedite his release.
“She was locked up there for a long time. I think if they had acted more quickly, none of this would have happened,” declared the father, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect the identity of the minor.
‘To have your small one abused whereas within the government’s care, to no longer realize what has come about or the appropriate formulation to guard them, to no longer even be directed about the abuse, it is unimaginable… Childhood deserves security and moreover they belong with their folks.’ – Lauren Fisher Flores, lawyer for the… pic.twitter.com/JHm0IsOCrm
— NowThis Affect (@nowthisimpact) April 6, 2026
According to court documents, The girl reported having been a victim of sexual abuse by another older minor in the foster home where she was in Harlingen, Texas. A caregiver detected warning signs and, after noticing that the girl was wearing her underwear backwards, the minor reported repeated attacks that even caused her to bleed.
However, the father assures that the authorities initially minimized what happened. “I asked them, ‘What happened? I want to know. I’m their father,’ and they simply told me they couldn’t give me any more information,” he said.
The case was turned over to the local police and the minor underwent a forensic examination, while the alleged attacker was removed from the program, according to the lawsuit.
This episode occurs in the context of changes in immigration policies promoted during the Donald Trump administration, which toughened the requirements for the release of migrant minors and extended detention times.
Data cited in the lawsuit indicate that the average length of stay of children in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement went from 37 days to almost 200 days in just over a year.
Defense organizations have warned that these delays increase the risks for minors. “For a child to be a victim of abuse while under the guardianship of the government… is unimaginable,” said attorney Lauren Fisher Flores, the minor’s legal representative.
For her part, Neha Desai, from the National Center for Juvenile Law, pointed out that these practices “represent yet another form of family separation” and accused the government of failing to fulfill its obligation to quickly reunite children with their families.
Keep reading:
- Georgia proposes collecting DNA from immigrants accused of minor crimes
- ICE will monitor Marine ceremonies with immigration status review
- DACA beneficiary in Texas obtains his freedom after questioned detention
