Minors

Nearly 130,000 unaccompanied migrant children entered the US in 2022 and the government has lost track of many thousands. Where are they? Some are working. Recent investigations by the NY Times have found migrant children as young as 12 working in chicken plants and slaughterhouses, making car parts, packaging snacks, operating hazardous machinery and construction roof, all in violation of child labor laws. This may be the least problem. The US Department of State estimates between 14,500 and 17,500 victims are trafficked within the United States each year. An estimated 72% of these victims are immigrants. This is on top of the problems these children face while making the 1,000 mile trip across Mexico.