When you hear the phrase “lost children,” most folks picture something out of a nightmare. Sadly, that’s exactly what’s happening at America’s southern border – and Nevada isn’t immune to the fallout.
This week, a post on X by @RapidResponse47 featured Tom Homan, President Trump’s newly appointed “border czar,” talking about a massive operation to track down more than 22,000 unaccompanied migrant kids who came into the U.S. during the Biden years.
According to Homan, many of these children slipped through the cracks of the federal system and ended up in the hands of sex traffickers or forced into labor. He said at least 27 have already died.
The effort, he explained, involves over 1,000 law enforcement agencies across the country.
That’s a lot of manpower, but supporters say it’s what’s needed when the stakes are this high.
.@RealTomHoman says the Trump Administration has found close to 25,000 unaccompanied minors that were “lost” under Joe Biden:
“Many were in sex trafficking. Many were found in forced labor—slavery. I mean forced to work ungodly hours, not going to school.” pic.twitter.com/sujtf7PALh
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 18, 2025
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Critics on the left argue that Trump and his team are exaggerating the scale of the crisis. They point to the figure of 300,000 “lost” children that Trump and his allies have repeated.
Fact-checkers say that number mostly represents cases where officials couldn’t confirm the child’s location over the phone, not necessarily that they vanished.
But here’s the bottom line: even if just one child was trafficked or killed because the government didn’t follow up, that’s one too many.
The U.S. Department of Labor has confirmed that migrant children have been illegally working in meatpacking plants and factories, sometimes in dangerous conditions.
That’s not a political talking point – that’s fact.
For families in Nevada, this hits close to home. Las Vegas police have dealt with trafficking cases tied to illegal immigration. Washoe County officials have also raised concerns about the strain on local resources when federal agencies fail to do their job.
Homan’s Role
Homan isn’t new to this fight. He ran Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Trump and was a key player in enforcing tough border policies.
Critics called him too harsh back then, especially for supporting family separation at the border. But his supporters say he was one of the few willing to tell the truth about how dangerous the system had become.
Now he’s back, with direct orders from Trump to find the missing kids and hold traffickers accountable.
Because his position doesn’t need Senate confirmation, Homan can act fast. That has liberals worried about an immigration crackdown, but conservatives see it as exactly the kind of bold leadership that’s been missing.
Nevada’s Stake in the Fight
Nevada sits hundreds of miles from the border, but our communities feel the effects. According to the Migration Policy Institute, Clark County has one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in the country.
That’s not the problem by itself. The problem comes when federal failures dump responsibility on local schools, courts, and shelters without resources to handle it.
A study by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found thousands of suspected trafficking cases linked to unaccompanied minors nationwide.
Nevada, with its tourism-driven economy and large service industry, is a prime target for traffickers. That’s why local groups like the Nevada Child Seekers organization have sounded alarms for years.
This Is About Real Kids, Not Numbers
Opponents say Trump’s tough approach risks scaring families who are just looking for a better life. They argue that stricter enforcement will only drive migrants further underground.
But for parents here in Nevada, the question is simple: Do we want a system where kids vanish into the shadows, or one where every child is accounted for?
For Trump and Homan, the answer is clear. They’re betting that most Americans – especially those who’ve watched this crisis unfold in their own communities – are ready for a president who takes border security seriously again.
At the end of the day, this isn’t about numbers on a chart. It’s about kids.
Real kids, some the same age as the ones we see at Little League games or Sunday school.
And when government fails them, it’s not just a Washington, D.C. problem. It’s America’s problem.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
