Helping Unaccompanied Minors

Children at Risk

Tapestri works with unaccompanied children as well, described by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as unaccompanied alien children (UAC). These are children who have no legal immigration status at the time and who enter the U.S. without parents or legal guardians. Once the U.S. government becomes aware of them, these children are transferred into the custody of the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). To learn more about this process, read our Unaccompanied Children Statement.

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How They Are Helped

These children are at especially high risk of human trafficking, exploitation, and abuse because of their age, separation from parents and relatives, and the often hazardous journey that they take to the U.S. These minors come to the U.S. through a variety of means and for a variety of reasons, including rejoining the family in the U.S., escaping violent communities or abusive family members in their home countries, or finding work to support their families back in their home countries.

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Tapestri's Role

The majority of these unaccompanied children are cared for through a network of state-licensed, ORR-funded care providers. These care providers pitch together to provide shelter, classroom education, health care, socialization, vocational training, mental health services, family reunification, access to legal services, and case management. Tapestri works with these children once they are reunited with their family sponsors. Our services center on case management, access to legal services, and family reunification as a contract service provider through DHS.

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At this time, Tapestri does not accept referrals for unaccompanied children from the public.

For more information about additional resources, please contact the ORR UAC hotline at 1 (800) 203-7001.