Biden’s child trafficking crisis remains unresolved, as both Democrats and Republicans concur.

Congress ⁣Continues to Pursue Biden Administration Over Missing Immigrant Children

Congress is showing no signs of letting up on the Biden administration, even six months after a major report revealed that the federal government could not locate 1-in-4 unaccompanied immigrant children⁣ apprehended at the border.

Both Democrats and Republicans have spent the​ summer delving⁣ deeper into the⁣ whereabouts of 85,000 unaccompanied‌ minors who were released to​ adult sponsors after crossing the southern border, but ​are now nowhere to be found. The New York Times‌ first reported this issue in February, and ⁤it has since gained significant momentum.

Concerns Raised by ​Senators

During a floor speech before Congress departed for the August recess, Senator John Cornyn⁢ (R-TX) stated, “Of the more than 300,000 migrant children who arrived in⁣ the United States on President Biden’s watch, roughly 85,000 could not be accounted ‍for 30 days after they were placed with a sponsor.” He also criticized Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra for prioritizing speedy placement of migrants with ⁣sponsors, despite‍ credible reports of trafficking and abuse.

Senator Alex Padilla​ (D-CA) ​raised ​the⁢ issue in a⁢ March hearing with Attorney General Merrick Garland, signaling that ⁤Democrats were taking the matter seriously. Padilla and Senator John Hickenlooper (D-CO) later sent a letter to the​ CEOs of major⁣ corporations employing minors, urging‌ them to take responsibility for their companies’ ⁣actions.

Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) ⁤and Padilla pressed Becerra​ during a June hearing to explain why the HHS ​had ignored warnings about releasing unaccompanied children into unsafe situations, including forced labor and trafficking.

Legislative Action

In response to the growing‍ concerns, lawmakers began taking action through legislation. Senator‌ Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) reintroduced ‍the ⁤End Child Trafficking Act in⁣ June, which would ‌require on-the-spot DNA testing of each child ‌apprehended at the border to verify their relationship with ⁤accompanying adults.

Last month, Rep.⁣ Morgan Luttrell (R-TX) joined Senators Tom Cotton ⁢(R-AR), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Rick Scott (R-FL) in introducing a‌ bill that would impose new requirements on the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of ‍Health and Human Services⁤ when⁢ releasing ⁢unaccompanied children to sponsors within the United States.

Increasing Political Awareness

Political awareness of the issue continued​ to​ grow in July when House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) organized a special screening of the movie Sound of Freedom⁢ for lawmakers. Several Senate Republicans sent letters to Democratic committee chairmen, urging oversight hearings on child trafficking to find immediate solutions.

The film, which has grossed over $153 million‌ since its release in July, has ⁢played‍ a significant role in raising public awareness of this modern-day form of slavery, receiving strong support from conservatives and endorsements from ⁢religious leaders.

Despite these efforts, ⁤both lawmakers and the public remain ‍unsatisfied with the lack of a federal response to the issue​ of missing immigrant children.

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