Mayorkas claims trafficked children aren't his responsibility, raising outrage

In a recent interview on CBS’s 'Face the Nation,' Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), claimed that the issue of child trafficking is not under his agency's jurisdiction. He emphasized that while reports of trafficked children have been received, DHS's role is to transfer unaccompanied children to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within a mandated 72-hour period. This statement comes amid ongoing scrutiny regarding the tracking and welfare of unaccompanied migrant children who crossed into the United States, with additional reports indicating that many of these children remain unaccounted for, possibly facing exploitation and trafficking. A report from the DHS inspector general highlighted significant gaps in the oversight of unaccompanied children transferred to HHS. It reported that more than 448,820 children were placed in care from 2019 to 2023, but a substantial number—over 30,000—were not monitored post-release. Critics have accused the DHS under Mayorkas’s leadership of failing to adequately protect these vulnerable children and ensuring their safety after release. During the interview, anchor Margaret Brennan confronted Mayorkas over the accountability of these children, urging him to address the dire implications of an unmonitored child population that may be exploited. In response to the concerns raised, Mayorkas reiterated that the Department of Homeland Security is responsible for investigating trafficking cases but asserted that many missing children could have been reunited with relatives or guardians and may not necessarily be victims of trafficking. He pointed to the broken immigration system as a longstanding issue rather than a direct result of his administration's failures. The discussion about the welfare of unaccompanied minors and the challenges in tracking them has been a focal point for advocates and lawmakers alike, raising alarms about the broader implications on human rights and child safety. Homan, the incoming border czar, has expressed strong disagreement with Mayorkas's stance, claiming that the administration’s failures have led to an alarming number of children being trafficked and exploited. He criticized the DHS’s approach to the increasingly complex crisis surrounding unaccompanied minors, highlighting that his team will prioritize locating these children as part of their new administration's moral obligation. The ongoing debate underscores the tensions surrounding immigration policy and the responsibilities of federal agencies in protecting vulnerable populations, particularly in a landscape marked by historic immigration levels and growing scrutiny of the government's actions.