US confirms Chinese boy in federal custody, but his whereabouts remain unknown

More than a week after US immigration authorities separated 6-year-old Yuanxin from his father during a routine check-in with ICE in New York, it has been confirmed that the child has been placed in the custody of the US Office of Refugee Resettlement. However, his location still remains unknown.

The ORR, a federal agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services, is almost always the agency that takes custody of immigrant children classified as unaccompanied or separated minors after their initial detention by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The agency has confirmed that the immigrant minor from China was in its custody but refused to reveal where the boy was being held.

The office of Nydia Velazquez, a Democratic congresswoman from New York who has been involved in locating Yuanxin, said in a statement to the South China Morning Post that her team has been working to gather details from the relevant federal agencies.

“We have confirmed that he is in the custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement. We are continuing to gather more information and are focused on ensuring the well-being and reunification of the family,” the statement said.

Yuanxin and his father, Fei Zheng, were detained on November 26 at the immigration office in Manhattan. This is the third time the duo has been held by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement since they attempted to cross the border seeking asylum in April. However, this is the first time they were separated.