Border Policy Shift Spurs Reform in Child Placement System, Vetting Measures Tightened

When most people picture the U.S.-Mexico border, they often think of agents in green uniforms patrolling the desert or guarding sections of the wall. But what many don’t realize is that border enforcement is a multi-agency operation, one that goes far beyond just Border Patrol. 

Few people understand this better than Chief Chris Clem. A veteran of the U.S. Border Patrol, Clem spent nearly three decades in the agency, rising through the ranks to eventually lead the Yuma Sector in Arizona. But his public service didn’t stop at retirement. Instead of stepping away, Clem transitioned into a role at the Department of Health and Human Services, tackling the border issue from a very different angle. 

“It’s a complex and dynamic situation,” Clem said, reflecting on his time in the field. “There is no one-size-fits-all solution. It’s not just Border Patrol or ICE, it’s a multi-agency, multilayered response.” 

Clem’s journey began in 1995, when he joined the Border Patrol during the Clinton administration. His first post was in Lordsburg, New Mexico a stark change from his upbringing in Houston. Over the years, he commanded five separate Border Patrol stations, a rare accomplishment that speaks to his deep experience. 

After a brief stint at headquarters and leadership positions in New Orleans and El Paso, Clem was appointed chief of the Yuma Sector in late 2020. But as policies shifted under the Biden administration, Clem said he felt many of the hard-won gains made over decades were quickly reversed. 

One of the most significant changes behind the scenes at the border involved how unaccompanied migrant children were handled after being taken into U.S. custody. Over the last four years, nearly half a million minors entered the country without a parent or legal guardian. And, according to officials, the process of vetting sponsors for these children had become dangerously lax. 

“The vetting process was broken,” a former federal official said, detailing how falsified documents, fake addresses, and even obvious forgeries were used to claim custody of children. In one case, a sponsor provided a photoshopped family photo where “the mother’s feet weren’t even in the picture.” In others, children were handed over without fingerprint checks, valid ID, or proof of a safe home environment. 

The consequences, he said, were devastating: from 14-year-olds placed with abusers, to reports of trafficking, exploitation, and even deaths. In one Ohio case, a teen girl was raped and forced to undergo an abortion, all after being released to someone fraudulently claiming to be her brother. 

A task force was established to review over 65,000 backlogged notices of concern, some from children reporting abuse. Many of these had never been acted upon. 

New safeguards have since been introduced: DNA testing for family claims, mandatory fingerprinting of all adults in a household, and criminal background checks. While many of these were previously optional or inconsistently applied, officials now insist that each case is investigated thoroughly, often within hours of a child’s arrival. 

“This is about saving lives,” the official said. “And ensuring we never go back to the way things were.”