I agree that the minor unaccompanied child is/was a dilemma for anyone!
However, as a foreigner I delt, all my professional life, with all kind of countries Immigration authorities. Now today is total different than it was in the sixties seventies and no Immigration were more strict than the U.S.’s.
If we had call on ports in the USSR, we used our Seaman’s Book as ID there, because had we used our Passports, which we used in the U.S. ports we would have been denied shore leaves because of the communist’s stamps.
Our crew lists had to be endorsed by the U.S. consulates in the last port for verification. If we could not presenting such crew list, NO shore leaves, and armed guards placed at our gangway.
Another intimidating experience was that every crewmembers had to present his private parts in front of the quarantee doctor as well. ONLY in the U.S. The Frenchmen later took care of that getting rid of this shameless procedure.
The U.S. INS had NO mercy whatsoever regardless of circumstances.
Then again I was requesting how he was shipped to the U.S. from Indonesia???
Requesting? Now how about you see if you can find out, if you think it's important. I have no idea. I imagine he either came by air or by sea.