Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Information Minister in Pakistani-administered Kashmir: Five civilians killed and at least 29 others injured in shelling across the border with India
Israeli Army Radio's diplomatic correspondent quoted a senior Israeli official as saying: So he [Trump] decided to cut off contact. That might still change, but that’s the situation right now
Israeli Army Radio's diplomatic correspondent quoted a senior Israeli official as saying: Trump’s circle told him [Dermer] that Netanyahu was manipulating him, and there’s nothing Trump hates more than being portrayed as someone being played
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: Meetings between the Israelis, Egyptians, and Qataris are all centered around the Israeli proposal, which does not guarantee an end to the war [on Gaza]
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: “Israel” is threatening to expand the ground offensive if Hamas rejects the proposal
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: Hamas rejects the Israeli proposal, viewing it as failing to guarantee an end to the war
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: “Israel” is sticking to its proposal, and insists there is no alternative offer on the table for negotiation
Senior Palestinian official to Al Mayadeen: The meetings between the Israelis and the Egyptians and Qataris all revolve around the Israeli proposal
The administration was clearly looking for an off-ramp for this campaign against Ansar Allah, NBC News reports, citing US official
Trump's operation against Ansar Allah cost more than $1 billion, NBC News reports, citing US official

Whistleblower warns Congress US is 'middleman' in human trafficking

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News Websites
  • 27 Apr 2023 14:58
5 Min Read

Tara Lee Rodas, who was formerly assigned with HHS at an Emergency Intake Site in Pomona, California says the US is complicit in the human trafficking of children.

  • x
  • ihuihuih
    Central American children walk in line with their parents after being dropped off by Border Patrol at the bus station in Brownsville, Texas, US, March 15, 2021. (Reuters)

A whistleblower who witnessed firsthand what she described as a "sophisticated network" of juvenile migrant smuggling into forced labor and other types of slavery is urging Congress to take action to rein in the United States' participation in the network.

The hearing, titled "The Biden Border Crisis: Exploitation of Unaccompanied Alien Children," was held before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, and featured testimony from Health and Human Services (HHS) whistleblower Tara Lee Rodas.

Rodas, who was assigned with HHS at an Emergency Intake Site in Pomona, California, addressed senators about her experiences on the ground on Wednesday. 

Rodas detailed how she thought she would place children in loving homes and realized instead that they were being trafficked with a network that begins in their country and ends when " [Office of Refugee Resettlement] delivers a child to a sponsor — some sponsors are criminals and traffickers and members of Transnational Criminal Organizations. Some sponsors view children as commodities and assets to be used for earning income — this is why we are witnessing an explosion of labor trafficking."

Read more: Dozens of migrant children reported missing in Houston: Reuters

According to CBP figures, the number of unaccompanied alien children (UACs) arriving at the border has increased from 33,239 in fiscal year 2020 to over 146,000 in fiscal year 2021 and 152,000 in fiscal year 2022. More than 70,000 UAC interactions have occurred so far in the fiscal year 2023.

Officials overlooking warnings

When child migrants are met at the border, they are taken into HHS care and subsequently reunited with a sponsor, who is usually a parent or family member who is already in the United States.

However, the government has been hammered by a series of New York Times exposes revealing an increase in child abuse, in which minors are put into labor – sometimes to recoup their smuggling costs. It has raised worries that the US is complicit in child trafficking by shipping minors to sponsors. According to the New York Times, officials allegedly overlooked warnings of an "explosive" increase in the child labor sector. 

Related News

Yemen rallies for Gaza, celebrating victory over US

China’s exports to US fall 17.6% March to April amid trade war

Read next: Guards walk away during fire that killed 38 migrants on US border

"Whether intentional or not, it could be argued that the US government has become the middleman in a large-scale, multibillion-dollar child trafficking operation that is run by bad actors seeking to profit off of the lives of children," Rodas said.

Rodas recounted how children became enslaved to their "sponsors" because they couldn't seek aid in English or Spanish, and how sponsors used several addresses to get child sponsorships. Rodas stated that she does not see it as a political problem, but rather a humanitarian one, adding that the crisis has been ongoing for over ten years.

'HHS needs to care for these children'

Rodas said her life would never be the same after what she witnessed, noting that children were being exposed to modern-day slavery instead of being given the American dream.

Republicans have blamed the continued problem on the Biden administration's policies, which they claim have promoted illegal migration and parents to hand up their children to traffickers. Democrats have stressed that the issue predates the Biden administration and have highlighted measures to strengthen the monitoring of sponsors, including new task groups, more information sharing, and proposals for increased financing.

Rodas expressed her hope that lawmakers would end the crisis and safeguard the lives of the children.

She demanded increased monitoring and openness from HHS, including the Office of Inspector General, an end to "retaliation" against whistleblowers, an end to a "culture of speed over safety," and a mandate that sponsors report to the Office of Refugee Resettlement.

"As it is written: A wise man listens to advise, while a fool continues in his folly. HHS needs to be wise to care for these children."

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra pushed back last month on the agency's inability to contact 85,000 youngsters, claiming that Congress limits HHS's authority.

"Congress has given us certain authorities. Our authorities end when we have found a suitable sponsor to place that child with. We try and do some follow-up, but neither the child or the sponsor is actually obligated to follow up with us," he explained.

Meanwhile, Susan Rice, who departed her position as domestic policy advisor last week, replied to the Times allegation that her staff was provided evidence of a rising migrant child labor issue.

"We were never informed of any kind of systematic problem with child labor or migrant child labor," she explained.

  • migrants
  • HHS
  • United States
  • Mexico
  • Congress
  • California
  • Joe Biden
  • US border authorities
  • Mexico-US border

Most Read

Pro-Palestinian protesters march toward the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) headquarters, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in Washington (AP)

US House to vote on bill criminalizing boycott of 'Israel'

  • Politics
  • 3 May 2025
Throughout Operation Prosperity Guardian, current and former US military and intelligence officials expressed disquiet at the enormous “cost offset” involved in battling Ansar Allah. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab El-Hajj)

Ansar Allah triumphant: US facing Red Sea defeat again

  • Opinion
  • 3 May 2025
Pakistan downs an Indian jet and hits a military base in Kashmir escalation.

Pakistan downs 3 Indian jets, hits military base in Kashmir escalation

  • Politics
  • 7 May 2025
Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu, senior Israeli official says

Trump cut off contact with Netanyahu: Israeli media

  • US & Canada
  • Today

Coverage

All
Gaza prevails against genocide

Read Next

All
UN experts warn: Stop the genocide or witness Gaza's end
Politics

Stop the genocide or witness end of life in Gaza: UN experts warn

Israeli police attack mourners as they carry the casket of killed Al Jazeera veteran journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during her funeral in occupied al-Quds, Friday, May 13, 2022. (AP)
Politics

Israeli sniper who killed journalist Shireen Abu Akleh identified

The Department of Defense logo is seen on the wall in the Press Briefing room at the Pentagon, Oct. 29, 2024, in Washington. (AP)
Politics

Pentagon’s unused properties drain billions in taxpayer funds

Haaretz
Palestine

Israeli military avoids calling up unwilling reservists: Haaretz

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS