In this TIME op-ed, anti-trafficking advocate Ruchira Gupta warns that the Trump administration’s recent immigration enforcement framework is endangering already vulnerable children. By granting ICE access to sensitive data—from names to locations—collected by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, the government is transforming caring relatives (such as parents or grandparents) into subjects of criminal scrutiny: they are now fingerprinted, DNA-tested, and at risk of detention simply for claiming a child in their care. The chilling effect is stark: sponsors are withdrawing, children linger longer in shelters, and many who might otherwise seek services now vanish into the shadows—losing access to schooling, health care, and basic protections. Far from safeguarding children, these measures deepen their isolation and vulnerability to exploitation and trafficking.