GOP Senators Introduce Measure Targeting Child Trafficking on the Southern Border

GOP senators, including Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Mike Rounds (R-SD), have introduced the “End Child Trafficking Now Act,” which requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to deport illegal immigrant adults who “refuse a DNA test and mandates a maximum 10-year prison sentence for all alien adults who fabricate family ties or guardianship over a minor.”

“After seeing the crisis firsthand, I’m reintroducing legislation to require DNA testing at the border to deter fraud and child trafficking,” Blackburn said in a statement, explaining how illegal border crossers attempt to enter the country “under the guise of being a parent or relative to a minor.” Because of that, adults must submit to a DNA test to prove relation under the proposal.

“Drug cartels and gangs are using children to falsely present themselves as family units and seek asylum at our southern border. These unaccompanied minors are especially vulnerable to trafficking and are often forced to perform sex acts,” Blackburn continued, adding the requirement will send a “powerful message that traffickers will be caught and aggressively prosecuted.”

Per a release, the measure also “criminalizes ‘child recycling,’ which happens when the same child is used repeatedly to gain entry by alien adults who are neither relatives nor legal guardians.”

“If family ties or legal guardianship cannot be proven with the accompanying adult, the Act requires HHS to process the child as an unaccompanied minor under current law,” the release adds.

“Customs and Border Protection has been sounding the alarm on the connection between children and human trafficking for years,” Blackburn said during a speech posted to her social media.

“The coyotes, the cartels, and the gangs use children as drug mules. They use them as sex slaves. If you don’t believe me, ask anyone with the CBP why they administer pregnancy tests to little girls as young as 13 as soon as they arrive at the border,” she said, deeming the border crisis a humanitarian crisis:

In a statement, Ernst recalled hearing stories directly from CBP agents about children who are being trafficked across the border by adults who are not family members.

“These children are being used as a ‘passport’ to get across our border, and this needs to stop,” Ernst said.

“One way to address this problem is by having DNA testing in place so we can ensure that an unaccompanied minor is actually connected with the person claiming to be their family, and not being used as an innocent pawn to skirt our immigration laws,” she added.

Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) praised the Senate’s companion bill, recognizing both Blackburn and Ernst as “respected leaders in the fight against human trafficking.”

“Their knowledge and insight will help us achieve our common goal of ending the exploitation of children on our southern border,” he said in a statement.

On Wednesday, President Biden announced his decision to put Vice President Kamala Harris in charge of the migrant crisis on the southern border.

“When she speaks, she speaks for me,” Biden said, praising her as more than qualified to handle the situation. “Doesn’t have to check with me. She knows what she’s doing and I hope we can move this along.”