The attached senate document, (pdf warning)
https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Federal Care of Unaccompanied Alien Children Report (FINAL).pdf, indicates:
Under the Biden administration, the number of unaccompanied alien children entering the United
States reached what was then an all-time high in 2021. As the number of unaccompanied
children dramatically increased, the Biden administration weakened the background check
standards for sponsors. In March 2021, when the unaccompanied alien children crossing the
southwest border reached over 18,800 in a single month, the ORR Director issued two directives
easing background check requirements for potential sponsors and related individuals: Field
Guidance #10 and Field Guidance #11.
While the summary goes on to say that this is a bad idea, since the gov stopped checking whether the sponsors/relatives were safe, the wording of the attached paragraph seems to suggest that this was done to get the minors processed and placed.
The goal to place the minors with family seems indeed compassionate. We can disagree that the calculus works out.