The Immigration Court Efficiency and Children's Court Act of 2023 creates specialized court dockets within the immigration court system dedicated exclusively to cases involving unaccompanied children under age 18. The bill establishes a Children's Court with designated judges who must have experience working with children and receive specialized training in child development, trauma-informed practices, and appropriate questioning techniques for minors. These specialized courts would implement child-friendly procedures such as allowing adequate time to obtain legal representation, using virtual hearings only when requested by the child, and considering the "best interests of the child" in legal decisions. The legislation also restricts the ability of immigration enforcement agencies to share information about unaccompanied children with other government agencies without consent, protecting children and their sponsors from deportation enforcement actions. The bill authorizes funding as needed for the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Health and Human Services to implement these requirements and mandates annual reports to Congress on compliance and case outcomes beginning one year after enactment.
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