(The Center Square)–Congress has created several programs to allow illegal border crossers claiming to be minors to remain in the U.S. Despite years of documented abuse of the programs, Congress continues to fund them to the tune of billions of dollars.
One is the failed unaccompanied minor program, with decades of documented reports of abuse and neglect of children, The Center Square has reported. Another is the Special Immigrant Juvenile Petition (SIJP) program that allows illegal foreign national minors already involved in the juvenile court system to remain in the U.S. and obtain a pathway to citizenship.
For decades, the SIJP has been exploited by criminal actors to enable thousands of violent gang members and suspected terrorists to obtain lawful permanent resident (LPR) status and become U.S. citizens, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) says in a new report, “Criminality, Gangs, and Program Integrity Concerns in Special Immigrant Juvenile Petitions.”
Instead of requiring that illegal foreign national minors be vetted, including conducting criminal background checks, locating and verifying family members, and implementing a repatriation process, Congress in 1990 established the SIJP process without any prohibitions. The primary requirement for a SIJP is for a state juvenile court to determine that the minor could not reunify with one or both parents due to abuse, neglect or abandonment.
Congress never included a prohibition for juveniles with criminal records or a moral character standard requirement.
Under current law, nearly all SIJP applicants are approved, allowing them to obtain lawful permanent resident (LPR) status and eventually U.S. citizenship.
The USCIS evaluated more than 300,000 SIJP applications filed between fiscal year 2013 through February 2025 and found that nearly 19,000 applicants had criminal arrests, including 120 for murder.
More than 500 were identified as known or suspected MS-13 gang members whose applications were approved; at least 70 had been charged with gang-related federal racketeering offenses.
At least 200 had been convicted of sex crimes and were registered in the National Sex Offender Registry.
From fiscal 2020 through 2024, 198,414 SIJP applications were approved. Among them, 52% weren’t even eligible because they were over age 18 and legally adults.
The overwhelming majority, 72%, were from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, where cartels and gangs recruit young boys into a life of crime.
The USCIS report also found that many SIJP applicants were gotaways – those who illegally entered the U.S. to evade detection and didn’t file immigration claims. A record more than two million gotaways were reported under the Biden administration, The Center Square exclusively reported.
The USCIS also found that 853 SIJP applicants were known or suspected gang members. Instead of being processed for deportation, their SIJP applications were approved. More than 600 were identified as MS-13 gang members; more than 500 of their applications were approved.
More than 100 known or suspected members of the 18th Street gang, at least three Tren de Aragua members, and dozens of Sureños and Norteños gang members applied for SIJP and were approved.
Of the MS-13 gang member SIJP applicants, at least 70 had already been charged with federal racketeering offenses; many others were charged with having already committed violent crimes in the U.S., the report found.
Common claims made by SIJP applicants were they were sent to the U.S. to live with a relative, they lived a life of poverty in their home country, they didn’t know one of their parents, their parents mistreated them with no corroborating evidence, their applications were “rubber stamped” by state juvenile courts, and USCIS found a repeated pattern of age and identity fraud, including falsifying names, birth dates and citizenship.
In June, the Trump administration implemented a new policy, eliminating automatically considering deferred action (and related employment authorization) for SIJP applicants who were ineligible to apply for LPR status, among other measures.
The administration and Congress have not terminated the SIJP and continue to fund it.
Why Bullion Beats Numismatics and Collectible for Your Safe or IRA
Precious metals continue to attract Americans seeking reliable ways to protect their wealth amid inflation, geopolitical risks, and stock market swings. Whether stored in a home safe or held inside a self-directed IRA, physical gold and silver deliver tangible value that paper or digital assets often lack. Yet investors must choose carefully between bullion—pure bars and coins valued mainly for their metal content—and numismatics or collectibles, where rarity, history, and collector demand heavily influence pricing.
Advisor Bullion serves as a dependable source for straightforward, high-quality bullion. The company specializes in physical gold, silver, platinum, and palladium, emphasizing transparent pricing and products that deliver maximum metal content for every dollar spent. This approach makes it ideal for both personal holdings and retirement accounts.
Bullion consists of refined precious metals in standard forms like one-ounce coins (American Gold Eagles, Silver Eagles, Canadian Maple Leafs) or bars. Their value tracks closely to the current spot price of the metal. A typical gold bullion coin trades near the live gold spot price plus a small premium. This structure keeps costs clear and predictable.
Numismatic coins and collectibles add substantial value from factors such as age, rarity, minting errors, or historical significance. A pre-1933 U.S. gold coin or graded proof piece can carry premiums of 30%, 50%, or even 200% above melt value. While this appeals to hobbyists, it creates complexity. Pricing depends on subjective grading, collector trends, and auction results instead of daily spot prices.
For investors focused on wealth preservation and retirement security rather than building a collection, bullion often delivers better results.
Lower Costs and Better Liquidity for Home Storage
When keeping metals in a home safe or private vault, liquidity and efficiency count. Bullion offers clear benefits:
- You acquire more actual gold or silver per dollar invested. Numismatics divert a large share of your money into rarity premiums and massive sales commission, reducing your metal exposure.
- Selling bullion involves tight bid-ask spreads, so you recover nearly full spot value with minimal fees. Collectibles require finding the right buyer and may sell at a discount if demand for that specific item weakens.
- Bullion prices remain transparent and update with global spot markets. You can track gold near current levels or silver accordingly and know exactly where your holdings stand. Numismatic values are priced by the Gold IRA companies with hefty margins applied.
- Standardized coins and bars store efficiently and divide easily for partial sales. Rare coins often need protective slabs and controlled conditions, adding hassle and expense.
- Bullion enjoys worldwide acceptance. A 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf or Silver Eagle sells quickly to dealers anywhere. Niche numismatic pieces may appeal only to limited buyers, slowing liquidation when speed matters.
In times when quick access to value becomes important, bullion’s simplicity stands out.
Stronger Fit for Precious Metals IRAs
Precious metals IRAs continue gaining traction as investors diversify retirement portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. IRS rules permit certain bullion products in self-directed IRAs if they meet purity standards (.995 fine for gold, .999 for silver) and are held by an approved custodian. Eligible items include American Gold and Silver Eagles plus many generic bars and rounds from recognized mints.
Numismatic and most collectible coins generally face heavy scrutiny from custodians due to valuation disputes and elevated markups. These higher premiums mean less actual metal ends up working inside the account.
Bullion avoids these issues. Its value links directly to verifiable spot prices, which simplifies reporting and lowers the risk of regulatory challenges. More of your IRA contribution purchases real metal instead of dealer profits or speculative upside. Over time, owning additional ounces that appreciate with the metal itself can create meaningful outperformance compared with high-premium alternatives that deliver fewer ounces.
Regulatory guidance from the CFTC and state securities offices repeatedly cautions against aggressive sales of expensive numismatics or “semi-numismatic” coins for IRAs. For retirement planning, transparent bullion from established providers reduces risk and aligns better with long-term goals.
How to Get Started with Bullion
Begin by clarifying your goals. Are you protecting savings in a safe, or moving part of a retirement account into a precious metals IRA? Focus on the number of ounces you can acquire at current prices rather than chasing marked-up collectibles.
Diversify sensibly: use gold for core preservation and silver for its blend of industrial and monetary qualities. Mix coins for easier divisibility with bars for lower per-ounce costs on larger buys. Arrange secure storage—whether at home with proper insurance or through professional facilities.
As economic uncertainties linger and faith in conventional assets erodes, bullion continues proving its worth as a dependable store of value. Its direct approach avoids the hype that sometimes surrounds collectible markets and keeps the focus on the metal itself.
For investors prepared to strengthen their portfolios, Advisor Bullion supplies the expertise and selection needed to acquire high-quality bullion efficiently. Whether building personal holdings or integrating metals into an IRA, their emphasis on transparent, investment-grade products helps secure more ounces today that support greater financial security tomorrow. In a complicated financial landscape, bullion’s clarity and reliability make it the smarter foundation for protecting what matters most.