Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said Sunday, Dec. 22, that child trafficking is outside the agency’s responsibility. Mayorkas appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” where anchor Margaret Brennan asked him if comments from incoming “border czar” Tom Homan regarding hundreds of thousands of migrant children being unaccounted for and exploited were accurate.
“We certainly have received reports of children being trafficked, even those as to whom we know where they are,” Mayorkas said. “That is outside the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security. What we do is we turn children over within 72 hours, as the law requires, to the Department of Health and Human Services, and then HHS places those children.”
Point phone camera here
In August, the DHS inspector general released a report blaming Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The report claims ICE is not always keeping track of unaccompanied migrant children released from government custody to sponsors.
The report examined the fiscal years between 2019 and 2023, under both the Trump and Biden administrations. It found ICE transferred 448,820 migrant children. ICE placed them into the care or custody of Health and Human Services or the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
The report also states, “As of May 2024, ICE had not served notices to appear on more than 291,000 unaccompanied children who therefore do not yet have an immigration court date.”
Meanwhile, more than 32,000 unaccompanied children received notices to appear for immigration hearings but failed to do so.
“Of course, we investigate cases of trafficking, but there are children who are reunited with a parent here in the United States or a legal guardian, and they move and sometimes the government loses track,” Mayorkas said. “Individuals do not comply with the reporting obligations or otherwise. I think it is inaccurate to say that all of them are trafficked or victimized.”
A New York Times investigation found that more than 250,000 migrant children crossed into the United States alone. According to the investigation, they are working dangerous jobs, such as in slaughterhouses or operating machinery.
Homan says finding the children is a top priority of the incoming administration.
Tags: Alejandro Mayorkas, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Immigrant, Migrant children, migrants, Trafficking
ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS, THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY, SAID SUNDAY THAT CHILD TRAFFICKING IS OUTSIDE THE AGENCY’S RESPONSIBILITY.
HE APPEARED ON CBS’ FACE THE NATION AND ANCHOR MARGARET BRENNAN ASKED HIM IF INCOMING BORDER CZAR TOM HOMAN’S COMMENTS REGARDING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF MIGRANT CHILDREN UNACCOUNTED FOR AND BEING EXPLOITED AND TRAFFICKED ARE TRUE.
“WE CERTAINLY HAVE RECEIVED REPORTS OF CHILDREN BEING TRAFFICKED, EVEN THOSE AS TO WHOM WE KNOW WHERE THEY ARE,” mayorkas said. “THAT IS OUTSIDE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. WHAT WE DO IS WE TURN CHILDREN OVER WITHIN 72 HOURS, AS THE LAW REQUIRES, TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND THEN HHS PLACES THOSE CHILDREN.”
IN AUGUST, THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY’S INSPECTOR GENERAL RELEASED A REPORT BLAMING IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT (ICE) FOR NOT ALWAYS KEEPING TABS ON UNACCOMPANIED MIGRANT CHILDREN WHO ARE RELEASED FROM GOVERNMENT CUSTODY TO SPONSORS.
THE REPORT SHOWS BETWEEN FISCAL YEARS 2019 AND 2023, UNDER PART OF BOTH TRUMP AND BIDEN’S TIME IN OFFICE, ICE TRANSFERRED 448,820 MIGRANT CHILDREN INTO THE CARE OR CUSTODY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OR THE OFFICE OF REFUGEE RESETTLEMENT.
THE REPORT STATES “AS OF MAY 2024, ICE HAD NOT SERVED NOTICES TO APPEAR ON MORE THAN 291,000 UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN WHO THEREFORE DO NOT YET HAVE AN IMMIGRATION COURT DATE.”
MORE THAN 32,000 UNACCOMPANIED CHILDREN WERE GIVEN NOTICES TO APPEAR FOR IMMIGRATION HEARINGS AND FAILED DO SO.
SO, WHERE ARE THE CHILDREN? THE GOVERNMENT DOESN’T KNOW.
“OF COURSE, WE INVESTIGATE CASES OF TRAFFICKING, BUT THERE ARE CHILDREN WHO ARE REUNITED WITH A PARENT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES OR A LEGAL GUARDIAN, AND THEY MOVE AND SOMETIMES THE GOVERNMENT LOSES TRACK,” Mayorkas said. “INDIVIDUALS DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REPORTING OBLIGATIONS OR OTHERWISE, I THINK IT IS INACCURATE TO SAY THAT ALL OF THEM ARE TRAFFICKED OR VICTIMIZED.”
A NEW YORK TIMES INVESTIGATION FOUND MORE THAN 250,000 MIGRANT CHILDREN CROSSED INTO THE UNITED STATES ALONE AND ARE WORKING DANGEROUS JOBS SUCH AS IN SLAUGHTERHOUSES OR OPERATING MACHINERY.
HOMAN SAYS FINDING THE CHILDREN IS A TOP PRIORITY OF THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION.
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
