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Facts and Data
General Statistic
Data Provided by fiscal year (October 1 - September 30)
Age | Country of Origin | Gender | Home Studies and Post-Release Services | Length of Care | Referrals | Release to Sponsors
Age
Age breakdown of unaccompanied alien children by fiscal year (October 1 - September 30)
| Age | FY | FY2018 | FY2017 | FY2016 | FY2015 | FY2014 | FY2013 | FY2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-12 | 16% | 15% | 17% | 18% | 17% | 21% | 14% | 11% |
| 13-14 | 12% | 12% | 13% | 14% | 14% | 16% | 13% | 11% |
| 15-16 | 37% | 37% | 37% | 37% | 38% | 36% | 40% | 39% |
| 17 | 35% | 35% | 32% | 31% | 30% | 27% | 34% | 38% |
Country of Origin
The top three countries of origin shifted from FY2017, with the highest percentage of children in FY2018 coming from Guatemala, followed by Honduras and El Salvador.
| Country of origin | FY2019 | FY2018 | FY2017 | FY2016 | FY2015 | FY2014 | FY2013 | FY2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honduras | 30% | 26% | 23% | 21% | 17% | 34% | 30% | 27% |
| Guatemala | 45% | 54% | 45% | 40% | 45% | 32% | 37% | 34% |
| el Salvador | 18% | 12% | 27% | 34% | 29% | 29% | 26% | 27% |
| Mexico | 2% | 3% | <3% | 3% | 6% | <2% | 3% | 8% |
| All other countries | 5% | 5% | 3% | 2% | 3% | <3% | 5% | 4% |
Gender
The demographic breakdown in FY2018 changed slightly from FY2017 to reflect a small increase in male UAC arrivals and decrease in female UAC arrivals.
| Year | Males | females |
|---|---|---|
| FY2019 | 66% | 34% |
| FY2018 | 71% | 29% |
| FY2017 | 68% | 33% |
| FY2016 | 67% | 32% |
| FY2015 | 68% | 32% |
| FY2014 | 66% | 34% |
| FY2013 | 73% | 27% |
| FY2012 | 77% | 23% |
Home Studies and Post-Release Services
Number of home studies conducted by ORR and number of unaccompanied alien children served by post-release services (PRS).
| Year | home studies | uac served by prs |
|---|---|---|
| FY2019 | 4,875 | 14,518 |
| FY2018 | 3,641 | 14,088 |
| FY2017 | 3,173 | 13,381 |
| FY2016 | 3,540 | 10,546 |
| FY2015 | 1,895 | 8,618 |
Length of Care
Average length of time a UAC remained in ORR care in FY2019 was 66 days.
Referrals
This reflects the number of referrals ORR receives from the Department of Homeland Security each fiscal year. Read more about referrals to ORR and initial placement.
| Year | referrals |
|---|---|
| FY2019 | 69,488 |
| FY2018 | 49,100 |
| FY2017 | 40,810 |
| FY2016 | 59,170 |
| FY2015 | 33,726 |
| FY2014 | 57,496 |
| FY2013 | 24,668 |
| FY2012 | 13,625 |
Release to Sponsors
View the number of unaccompanied alien released to sponsors by state and by county
Last Reviewed: March 12, 2020