Four Republican senators are backing legislation to criminalize so-called “child recycling” at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) — joined by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Thom Thillis (R-N.C.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) — are sponsoring the “End Child Trafficking Now Act,” which will, according to the lawmaker, require the Department of Homeland Security “to deport alien adults if they refuse a DNA test and mandates a maximum 10-year sentence for alien adults who fabricate family ties or guardianship over a minor.”
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“It also criminalizes ‘child recycling,’” Blackburn continued, “which happens when the same child is used repeatedly to gain entry by alien adults who are neither relatives nor legal guardians.”
The legislation is also sponsored by several members in the House of Representatives.
Tillis has blamed President Joe Biden’s administration for not doing enough to stem the overwhelming tide of migrants crossing over the border.
“Unaccompanied children are passing through our border with the help of strangers and members of cartels, putting these children at an increased risk of sexual abuse and human trafficking,” the senator said. “This is completely unacceptable, and the Biden administration’s response has been severely lacking.”
According to estimates compiled by Customs and Border Protection, criminal outfits trafficking women, children, and families made as much as $14 million per day in February, totaling around $411.5 million.
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The fees to smuggle one adult across the border reportedly range between $5,000 and $9,000.
A Biden administration official revealed earlier this month there are more than 14,000 unaccompanied minors currently being held in U.S. migrant detention centers.
The president has been reticent to describe the situation at the border a “crisis.” He has tapped Vice President Kamala Harris to oversee the issue.
On Thursday, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) condemned the decision by Biden, arguing Harris is the “worst possible choice,” adding that, “at no point in her career has [Harris] given any indication that she considers the border a problem or a serious threat.”
For her part, Harris did acknowledge during an appearance on “CBS This Morning” Wednesday that the situation at the border is “a huge problem.”
“I’m not going to pretend it’s not,” she said. “Are we looking at overcrowding at the border, particularly of these kids? Yes. Should these kids be in the custody of [Health and Human Services] … instead of the patrol? Yes. Should we be processing these cases faster? Yes.”
“This is, however, not going to be solved overnight,” the vice president added.
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