Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) blasted Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and President Joe Biden’s administration for allowing child slavery in the US.
Hawley revealed that thousands of Migrant children have been sold into slavery and made to work under terrible conditions and for low wages.
“When kids are being put into factories, forced to work overnight, forced to work in terrible conditions, they’re not getting paid, they’re not going to school, sometimes they’re not getting fed, that’s slavery,” Hawley said.
Hawley blasted Mayorkas for failing to take responsibility, adding that the DHS chief has told during several hearings that the child labor situation is not his problem. Hawley also noted that the Department of Health and Human Services is also shying away from taking responsibility for the child labor problem.
Sen. @HawleyMO scorches Biden's HHS for running a "conveyor belt of [migrant] children being FORCED through the system" and into child labor.
"This administration has let tens of thousands of children be sold into slavery — and they are doing NOTHING about it." pic.twitter.com/vGyGhmEryb
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 14, 2023
“Amazing how this works. Nobody’s responsible, these kids are literally being sold as slaves in the United States of America in the year of 2023 and nobody’s responsible,” Hawley added. “They don’t want you to come and testify to this committee. You bet they don’t. They don’t want to be put under oath. They don’t want to answer any questions. They don’t want cameras here. They don’t want to take any responsibility. Well, I tell you, it’s somebody’s fault. It’s not the kids’ fault.”
The GOP lawmaker accused President Biden’s administration of allowing thousands of children to be sold into slavery. Hawley added that the administration is not doing anything about the issue.
“Since the Biden administration started, we’ve seen a 69% increase in child labor violations,” said @RepJimBanks.
Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su was grilled over the trafficking of unaccompanied alien children to be used as illegal labor in the US. https://t.co/aZZJ00WeMs
— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) June 10, 2023
“We need to figure out what in the world is going on and who’s to be held accountable for this, because I tell you what’s not an acceptable answer: it’s not acceptable to say, ‘It’s not my problem; we wish the kids the best.’ The kids are in danger, the kids are in slavery, the kids are being exploited, and it should not happen in the United States of America!”
Hawley’s outburst comes after The New York Times released a report detailing the country’s child labor problem. According to the report, many underage migrant children are working in unsafe environments.
The Times spoke with 15-year-old Carolina Yoc, an underage migrant child working late hours in a factory in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“Sometimes I get tired and feel sick,” Carolina said. Her stomach often hurt, and she was unsure if that was because of the lack of sleep, the stress from the incessant roar of the machines, or the worries she had for herself and her family in Guatemala. “But I’m getting used to it.”
According to The Times, Carolina is one of several workers who are part of a new economy of exploitation.
“Migrant children, who have been coming into the United States without their parents in record numbers, are ending up in some of the most punishing jobs in the country,” The report claims.
