The FBI has intensified its efforts to locate missing children this year, resulting in a record number of recoveries, according to Director Kash Patel.
Federal officials report that the agency has already reunited more than 6,000 children with their families, marking a 25 percent increase compared with the same period last year.
Patel emphasized that the surge underscores the bureau’s commitment to protecting vulnerable minors across the country.
“If this mission was failing, then how have we found the most children ever in the history of the FBI than ever before? Because this FBI cares about going after and protecting children and finding children and reuniting them with their families, and we’re going to continue to do that,” Patel said in an exclusive interview airing on EpochTV on Saturday.
Across multiple states, coordinated efforts by federal and local authorities have yielded hundreds of recoveries in recent weeks.
In Florida, officials reported locating 122 children, while Memphis, Tennessee, accounted for more than 100 recoveries over a two-month span, as Resist the Mainstream previously covered.
Hawaii authorities also reported finding 10 missing children in October through a combined state and federal operation, according to The Epoch Times.
The FBI’s operations reflect a broader nationwide push to combat child exploitation and trafficking.
Since his return to office, President Trump has advocated for expanded federal intervention in cities with elevated public safety concerns.
National Guard members and federal agents have been deployed to urban centers including Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles and Memphis, under initiatives such as Operation Summer Heat.
Trump has suggested extending these operations to additional cities, highlighting a federal commitment to citizen protection and child safety.
Patel also noted that, in September, the FBI had located more than 4,700 children, representing a 35 percent year-over-year increase at that point.
During the same period, the bureau arrested 1,500 child predators—a 5 percent rise from the previous year—and 300 human traffickers, a 10 percent increase.
These figures reflect an ongoing emphasis on both prevention and recovery in cases of missing and endangered children.
Federal officials have also credited the Trump administration with locating roughly 30,000 missing illegal immigrant children this year.
White House border czar Tom Homan confirmed the statistics, underscoring expanded government efforts to track and protect children who cross the border without authorization.
While federal interventions have produced substantial results, some Democratic leaders have questioned the necessity of national involvement, citing declines in crime statistics.
“Crime is at its lowest point in decades, visitors are coming back, and San Francisco is on the rise,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said, reflecting a broader debate over the balance between local and federal responsibility in public safety.
Overall, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported that roughly 30,000 children were listed as missing in 2024.
According to FBI data released in September, about 90 percent of these cases have been resolved, demonstrating the impact of intensified child recovery operations nationwide.
By combining strategic enforcement, inter-agency cooperation and robust federal support, authorities have not only increased the number of children recovered but also reinforced a broader framework for protecting minors from exploitation and trafficking.
Officials continue to prioritize resources toward operations that safeguard vulnerable populations, while lawmakers and the public weigh the federal role in addressing child safety and broader crime prevention efforts.
