WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) successfully located 200 missing children during a six-week nationwide operation that concluded last week. Dubbed “Operation We Will Find You 2,” this initiative marks the second of its kind and spanned seven federal judicial districts from May 20 to June 24. The operation focused on areas with a high number of critically missing children.
The USMS collaborated with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to execute the operation. Their combined efforts led to the recovery of 123 children from perilous situations and the location of another 77 children who were found in safe environments. Among the 200 children recovered, 173 were classified as endangered runaways, 25 were reported missing, one was abducted by a family member, and another was a non-family abduction.
The operation extended across several states, including Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and New York City. Notably, 14 of the recovered children were found outside the cities where they were initially reported missing, with the youngest being just five months old. Approximately 57% of the children were recovered within seven days of USMS involvement.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland expressed his gratitude to the dedicated professionals who participated in the operation, emphasizing the importance of their work in safeguarding children. “There are no words to describe the terror felt by missing children, their families, and their communities,” Garland said. “I am grateful to the dedicated professionals of the U.S. Marshals Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who worked to find 200 critically missing children during this six-week operation, and who work every day to keep children safe.”
The operation also highlighted several challenging recovery cases, including instances of child sex trafficking, exploitation, and abuse. For example, on June 13, USMS recovered a 16-year-old girl from Edwardsburg, Michigan, who was reportedly being controlled and abused by an adult man. The man was apprehended after attempting to flee from authorities in Hammond, Indiana.
In another case, a 15-year-old girl reported missing on May 13 was found to be a victim of human trafficking in Miami-Dade, Florida. She was recovered on June 7 and subsequently interviewed by the Florida State Attorney’s Office Human Trafficking team before being returned to the Department of Child and Family Services.
USMS Director Ronald L. Davis underscored the significance of the mission, stating, “One of the most sacred missions of U.S. Marshals Service is locating and recovering our nation’s critically missing children. This is one of our top priorities as there remain thousands of children still missing and at risk.”