Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is set to renew its contract with Thomson Reuters, a data broker, at an eye-watering $25 million per year. The deal aims to identify unaccompanied minors and anyone involved in government fraud, according to a federal document.

The move has alarmed some advocates who fear the expanding reach of ICE into areas traditionally managed by Health and Human Services (HHS). Unaccompanied minors are typically cared for by ORR under HHS, not ICE. However, last year, ICE gained access to the database that tracks these children.

Thomson Reuters’ tools will now be used by DHS agents, including ICE, to background-check potential sponsors of unaccompanied minors, who provide food and shelter while awaiting immigration proceedings. This represents a significant shift from how the process has historically worked.

The contract justifies an expansion of the scope of how Thomson Reuters data can be used by federal immigration officials, mirroring the Trump administration’s broader crackdown on immigration. Critics argue that this signals a blurring of lines between immigration enforcement and care for vulnerable children.