Sen. Hawley Demands Probe Into 85,000 Missing Unaccompanied Alien Children

Senator Demands FBI Investigation into Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children

Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri is demanding that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigate the exploitation of thousands of unaccompanied alien children (UAC) who have been caught up in child smuggling and child labor operations. This is a serious issue that needs to be addressed immediately.

Disturbing Statistics

Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows that around 345,000 minors have come across the border unaccompanied since early 2021 when President Joe Biden took office. A New York Times report suggests that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has lost contact with 85,000 of these minors. This is a shocking number that cannot be ignored.

Blame Game

In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Hawley blamed the Biden administration’s loosening of border protection policies for the situation. “The Biden Administration is morally responsible for their fate. The President lifted Title 42 restrictions on unaccompanied children in early 2021,” he wrote. “Reporting reveals that HHS loosened vetting processes for sponsors and retaliated against whistleblowers who raised these concerns. As a result, thousands of children have been handed over to modern-day slave traders.”

Xavier Becerra Denies Number of Missing Children

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra denied knowledge of the claim that 85,000 UACs were unaccounted for. “I have never heard that number of 85,000, I don’t know where it comes from and … so I would say it doesn’t sound at all to be realistic, and what we do is we try and follow up as best we can with these kids,” Becerra said at a Senate Finance Committee. This is unacceptable.

Urgent Action Needed

Hawley demanded a “full report” from the FBI priority by May 25. In addition to urging the FBI to mount a “full-scale” effort to locate the missing children and bring to justice the criminals who are holding them in modern-day slavery, Hawley also demanded a probe into HHS and the Department of Homeland Security. “The FBI must also investigate HHS and the Department of Homeland Security for their role in facilitating the exploitation of these children, in violation of the law,” Hawley wrote. The pervasive maltreatment of migrant children plainly violates both the Fair Labor Standards Act, which prohibits the abuse of underage workers, and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which designates human trafficking offenses as federal crimes.

Whistleblower Testimony

Earlier this week, an HHS whistleblower testified before Congress about how the federal government is acting as a “middleman” for a “multi-billion-dollar child trafficking operation.” The whistleblower, Tara Lee Rodas, appeared as a witness at “The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children” hearing held by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement. She stated that unaccompanied children have been “suffering in the shadows” of the U.S. immigration system for nearly a decade.

Conclusion

This is a heartbreaking situation that needs to be addressed immediately. We cannot allow the exploitation of innocent children to continue. It is time for the FBI to take action and bring these criminals to justice. We must also hold the Biden administration accountable for their role in this crisis. Let us work together to protect the most vulnerable among us.