Department of Homeland Security agents recently visited the offices of several nonprofit organizations in the Washington, D.C. area that provide legal services to unaccompanied migrant children, according to the groups involved.

The visits come amid broader tensions over how local and federal authorities handle oversight of unaccompanied migrant children who have been placed with sponsors or guardians across the United States.

Separately, the city of El Cajon, California has filed a lawsuit against California Attorney General Rob Bonta, alleging that the state's sanctuary laws prevent local police from conducting welfare checks on unaccompanied migrant children in their jurisdiction.

The El Cajon lawsuit claims that sanctuary law restrictions interfere with local law enforcement's ability to verify the safety and well-being of migrant children who have been released to sponsors in the community.

The legal challenge highlights ongoing disputes between federal immigration enforcement priorities and state-level sanctuary policies, particularly regarding protocols for monitoring vulnerable migrant children after their initial placement with sponsors or family members.