Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas faces criticism for his stance on migrant child trafficking, claiming it’s “outside the responsibility” of DHS.
At a Glance
- Mayorkas states child trafficking is not DHS responsibility after children are transferred to HHS
- DHS Inspector General report criticizes ICE for not tracking unaccompanied migrant children
- Over 291,000 unaccompanied children had not received immigration court dates as of May 2024
- GOP lawmakers and incoming “border czar” Tom Homan call for accountability and action
- Whistleblower reveals government prioritized legal concerns over child safety
Mayorkas Shifts Responsibility for Migrant Child Trafficking
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has come under fire for recent statements regarding the trafficking of migrant children. In a controversial move, Mayorkas appeared to distance his department from responsibility for these vulnerable minors once they leave DHS custody.
The Secretary elaborated on the process, explaining that DHS transfers unaccompanied children to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within 72 hours, as required by law. This transfer, according to Mayorkas, shifts the responsibility for these children’s welfare to HHS.
Alarming Statistics Raise Concerns
The controversy surrounding Mayorkas’s statements is compounded by troubling statistics regarding unaccompanied migrant children. From 2019 to 2023, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) transferred over 448,000 unaccompanied children to HHS. As of May 2024, more than 291,000 of these children had not received immigration court dates, effectively leaving them outside the formal immigration system.
“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. 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,” Mayorkas said.
Despite Mayorkas’s attempt to contextualize the situation, critics argue that the sheer number of unaccounted-for children represents a significant failure in the system designed to protect them.
Calls for Accountability and Action
The secretary’s remarks have sparked outrage among conservative lawmakers and immigration reform advocates. Incoming “border czar” Tom Homan has made finding these children a top priority, stating, “We are going to deputize every U.S. citizen in this country to help us find the 340,000 missing migrant children.”
Republican representatives have been vocal in their criticism of Mayorkas and the Biden administration’s handling of the border crisis. The House Homeland Security Committee has scheduled a hearing titled “Trafficked, Exploited, and Missing: Migrant Children Victims of the Biden-Harris Administration” to address these concerns.
Whistleblower Revelations Deepen Concerns
Adding to the controversy, HHS whistleblower Tara Rodas has come forward with alarming allegations about the government’s priorities regarding migrant children. Rodas claims that officials were more concerned about potential lawsuits from keeping children in care too long than about the risks of trafficking.
“I said [to the Command Center executives], ‘We’re getting ready to send another child [to Austin, Texas],’ and they said, ‘Tara, I think you need to understand that we only get sued if we keep kids in care too long. We don’t get sued by traffickers. Are you clear? We don’t get sued by traffickers.’ So, that was the answer of the United States federal government. HHS did not want this information to get out. They knew I had made protected disclosures and they retaliated against me as a whistleblower and had me kicked off the site so I could no longer research the cases,” Tara Rodas said.
These revelations have intensified calls for a thorough investigation into the handling of unaccompanied migrant children and the potential systemic failures that may be putting them at risk.
As the debate over immigration policy continues to rage, the fate of these vulnerable children remains a critical concern. With the upcoming presidential inauguration and promises of significant changes to immigration policy, the pressure on Mayorkas and the Department of Homeland Security to address these issues is likely to intensify in the coming months.
