Child Trafficking Crisis Sparks Trump Administration Crackdown

The Trump administration has made the fight against child trafficking a top priority, as President Donald Trump’s team works to address the ongoing border crisis. Stephen Miller, the president’s senior immigration advisor, stated, “Our message to everyone in the country is to cooperate fully with Immigration and Customs Enforcement so that we can end the scourge of child trafficking and child abuse that has been endemic these last four years.”

A recent congressional hearing revealed the risks unaccompanied minors face after crossing the southern border. Tara Rodas, a whistleblower from HHS, testified that thousands of children were handed over to sponsors without proper background checks. She described federal programs as unintentionally assisting traffickers, with some children being placed in the custody of known gang affiliates.

Alicia Hopper, a counter-trafficking expert, explained how cartels take advantage of federal systems, calling them efficient tools for their operations. Hopper noted that smugglers often manipulate U.S. policies to move children quickly through processing and into dangerous situations.

Retired Border Patrol agent J.J. Carrell highlighted the dangers of organ harvesting, stating that traffickers target unaccompanied minors because they are defenseless and lack support systems. He warned that this practice is becoming more common as enforcement weakens.

Lisa, who runs a nonprofit focused on rescuing trafficking victims, reported a sharp rise in cases involving migrant girls. She shared that traffickers are increasingly using online platforms to advertise these victims. Ads in Spanish, often targeting buyers within specific communities, have surged since 2021.

Government data shows that more than 291,000 minors were released without court dates between 2019 and 2024. Many of these children remain unaccounted for, with federal officials confirming that nearly 20% of sponsors were approved before background checks were completed.