Unaccompanied refugee children ever, it also meant that the Immigration Service normally made no attempt to find the parents of children who did not face repatriation because they had been granted residence in Denmark. The Ombudsman’s points of criticism The Ombudsman considered it very regrettable that the immigration authorities had neglected their search obligation for so many years. While the Ombudsman was processing the case, it became clear that the Immigration Service was not only obliged to search for parents, but also other relatives – at least relatives who must be regarded as having taken the place of parents. The Ombudsman therefore also found it a cause for criticism that the Immigration Service had failed to search for the Iraqi boy’s uncle, as the uncle had looked after him until he left Iraq and because the boy had been informed that his uncle was – perhaps – dead. A search might have confirmed or disproved this information. Both the Immigration Service and the Ministry of Integration (now the Ministry of Justice) stated that in future the authorities would ensure that searches for relatives of unaccompanied children were initiated as quickly as possible. However, it was evident already then that the problem was not easily solved. Difficult searches After the 2007 Act was passed, the immigration authorities became aware that – against expectation – the Danish Red Cross was unable to help with searches within the framework now laid down in the Aliens Act. The Immigration Service explained to the Ombudsman that the Danish Red Cross was only prepared to initiate a search at the minor’s own initiative. In addition, the Red Cross was unable to pass on the result of a search to the immigration authorities as this information could only be given to the person searching and completing the search form. The Immigration Service had previously been under the impression that it met its search obligation simply by encouraging the children to initiate a search themselves via the International Red Cross. However, the Ombudsman did not agree, and while he was processing the case, the Ministry of Integration clarified to the Immigration Service that the Immigration Service was itself responsible for ensuring that a search was initiated via available sources, for instance 33