According to a report from the New York Times, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra has no idea whether or not more than 85,000 Unaccompanied Alien Children (UACs) have been lost throughout the United States by his agency. The children were turned over to sponsors living throughout the U.S. interior, but HHS has lost contact with them.
The Times obtained data that showed over the last two years, HHS could not reach more than 85,000 children. During a Senate Finance Committee hearing this week,Becerra said he had no idea whether HHS has lost track of these children.
It is concerning that so many UACs are unaccounted for as they may have ended up in a labor trafficking pipeline. Becerra did acknowledge that some reports about missing children are “based in reality or not.”
Since President Biden took office earlier this year,a quarter of a million UAC’s have been resettled with sponsors across American communities.Based on available data,the majority of them being boys and only 15 to 16 percent of all Uacs are pre-teens.
This situation raises serious concerns about how effectively government agencies are tracking these vulnerable individuals and ensuring their safety once they enter the country. It remains unclear what steps will be taken to locate these missing children and keep them safe from potential exploitation or abuse.
In conclusion, it is essential for federal authorities like HHS to ensure they have adequate measures in place when dealing with vulnerable populations like unaccompanied minors seeking refuge in America.Their lives depend on it,and we must do everything we can to protect them.