CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Joint Resolution No. 2Introduced by Assembly Member CastilloFebruary 20, 2025 Relative to immigration. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAJR 2, as introduced, Castillo. Location of missing immigrant children.This measure would call upon the federal government to locate the missing children who were brought across the southern border of the United States under the Biden Administration and to take immediate and comprehensive action to address the crisis of missing undocumented children, as specified. The measure would also call upon the incoming administration and Congress to act with urgency and compassion to address this crisis and uphold the nations commitment to protecting vulnerable children.Digest Key Fiscal Committee: NO Bill TextWHEREAS, The United States is facing a humanitarian crisis at its borders, with thousands of undocumented children entering the country unlawfully and without responsible parental supervision; andWHEREAS, As of May 2024, there are over 300,000 migrant children who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied minors who were set free and never given a date to appear in immigration court or were unaccounted for when crossing the border; andWHEREAS, Federal whistleblowers believe many of these vulnerable children could already be in the hands of criminals and sex traffickers; andWHEREAS, The United States broken immigration policies, both internally through gridlocked sanctuary laws and externally through open border directives, have resulted in this catastrophe and our federal government must make every effort to find these children; andWHEREAS, The federal government has a moral and legal obligation to ensure the protection of all children within its borders, in accordance with human rights principles and the nations core values; now, therefore, be itResolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature calls upon the United States Department of Health and Human Services, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Department of Justice to locate the missing children who were brought across the southern border of the United States under the Biden Administration; and be it furtherResolved, That the Legislature strongly urges the federal government to take immediate and comprehensive action to address the crisis of missing undocumented children, including, but not limited to:(1) Conducting a Nationwide Audit: Directing the United States Department of Health and Human Services and related agencies to audit the cases of all undocumented children who entered the United States in recent years, identifying their current status and addressing any lapses in oversight.(2) Protecting Children from Trafficking and Exploitation: Strengthening partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as nongovernmental organizations, to safeguard undocumented children against human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.(3) Promoting Transparency and Public Accountability: Ensuring regular public reporting on the progress of efforts to locate and protect these children, demonstrating a commitment to their safety and well-being.(4) Reuniting Missing Children with their Families: Implementing expedited processes for identifying and reuniting missing undocumented children with their families, ensuring that these vulnerable individuals are safely and swiftly returned to their loved ones whenever possible, while providing necessary support services during the reunification process; and be it furtherResolved, That the Legislature calls upon the incoming President of the United States, Congress, and relevant federal agencies, to act with urgency and compassion to address this crisis and uphold the nations commitment to protecting vulnerable children; and be it furtherResolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Joint Resolution No. 2Introduced by Assembly Member CastilloFebruary 20, 2025 Relative to immigration. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTAJR 2, as introduced, Castillo. Location of missing immigrant children.This measure would call upon the federal government to locate the missing children who were brought across the southern border of the United States under the Biden Administration and to take immediate and comprehensive action to address the crisis of missing undocumented children, as specified. The measure would also call upon the incoming administration and Congress to act with urgency and compassion to address this crisis and uphold the nations commitment to protecting vulnerable children.Digest Key Fiscal Committee: NO
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20252026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Joint Resolution
No. 2
Introduced by Assembly Member CastilloFebruary 20, 2025
Introduced by Assembly Member Castillo
February 20, 2025
Relative to immigration.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AJR 2, as introduced, Castillo. Location of missing immigrant children.
This measure would call upon the federal government to locate the missing children who were brought across the southern border of the United States under the Biden Administration and to take immediate and comprehensive action to address the crisis of missing undocumented children, as specified. The measure would also call upon the incoming administration and Congress to act with urgency and compassion to address this crisis and uphold the nations commitment to protecting vulnerable children.
This measure would call upon the federal government to locate the missing children who were brought across the southern border of the United States under the Biden Administration and to take immediate and comprehensive action to address the crisis of missing undocumented children, as specified. The measure would also call upon the incoming administration and Congress to act with urgency and compassion to address this crisis and uphold the nations commitment to protecting vulnerable children.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
WHEREAS, The United States is facing a humanitarian crisis at its borders, with thousands of undocumented children entering the country unlawfully and without responsible parental supervision; and
WHEREAS, As of May 2024, there are over 300,000 migrant children who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied minors who were set free and never given a date to appear in immigration court or were unaccounted for when crossing the border; and
WHEREAS, Federal whistleblowers believe many of these vulnerable children could already be in the hands of criminals and sex traffickers; and
WHEREAS, The United States broken immigration policies, both internally through gridlocked sanctuary laws and externally through open border directives, have resulted in this catastrophe and our federal government must make every effort to find these children; and
WHEREAS, The federal government has a moral and legal obligation to ensure the protection of all children within its borders, in accordance with human rights principles and the nations core values; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature calls upon the United States Department of Health and Human Services, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, United States Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Department of Justice to locate the missing children who were brought across the southern border of the United States under the Biden Administration; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature strongly urges the federal government to take immediate and comprehensive action to address the crisis of missing undocumented children, including, but not limited to:
(1) Conducting a Nationwide Audit: Directing the United States Department of Health and Human Services and related agencies to audit the cases of all undocumented children who entered the United States in recent years, identifying their current status and addressing any lapses in oversight.
(2) Protecting Children from Trafficking and Exploitation: Strengthening partnerships among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as nongovernmental organizations, to safeguard undocumented children against human trafficking and other forms of exploitation.
(3) Promoting Transparency and Public Accountability: Ensuring regular public reporting on the progress of efforts to locate and protect these children, demonstrating a commitment to their safety and well-being.
(4) Reuniting Missing Children with their Families: Implementing expedited processes for identifying and reuniting missing undocumented children with their families, ensuring that these vulnerable individuals are safely and swiftly returned to their loved ones whenever possible, while providing necessary support services during the reunification process; and be it further
Resolved, That the Legislature calls upon the incoming President of the United States, Congress, and relevant federal agencies, to act with urgency and compassion to address this crisis and uphold the nations commitment to protecting vulnerable children; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to the Majority Leader of the United States Senate, to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the author for appropriate distribution.