Scott Introduces Bill to Fight Child Trafficking Through Proper Vetting of Sponsors

Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) have introduced the Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act. This bill attempts to curb the human trafficking of unaccompanied migrant children through "comprehensive vetting procedures of sponsors, regular monitoring and updates on the child’s well-being."

Last August, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Report found that President Biden's administration had failed to consistently “monitor the location and status of unaccompanied migrant children” to the number of 300,000, who are “at risk of sex trafficking, forced labor and other forms of exploitation.”

Sen. Scott stated that former President Joe Biden (D) "allowed this to happen" through his administration's policies.

“It is terrifying to think that over 300,000 young, innocent children have been brought into this nation, potentially forced into unsafe conditions and at risk for human trafficking," said Sen. Scott. "As a parent or grandparent, it’s unimaginable to think what might happen to these children, and that former president Joe Biden allowed this to happen by completely dismantling our immigration system and opening our southern border, completely ignoring the consequences or the tolls on human life."

The former Florida governor continued, sharing his support for the moves President Donald Trump (R) has already made in the first few days of his second term concerning the border and human trafficking.

"Thank God President Trump is in office and has already made incredible strides to secure our border and find the thousands of migrant children unaccounted for and at risk under Joe Biden. Our bill, the Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act, will support President Trump’s actions by making critical changes to fix Biden’s broken process and protect innocent children from being trafficked in our nation," concluded Scott.

Furthermore, Sen. Johnson added that the Biden Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) "made a mockery" of the sponsor system, and contributed to the rise in trafficked children.

“The Biden administration’s open border policies resulted in an explosion of unaccompanied migrant children arriving at our southern border," said Sen. Johnson. "Biden’s HHS then compounded this lunacy by making a mockery of its duty to ensure these children were placed with properly vetted sponsors who would ensure their safety. In just the first two years of the Biden administration, HHS lost track of over 85,000 children with many of them being exploited for labor and even sex trafficking."

Johnson continued, demanding a solution to the immigration system and human trafficking across the border.

"We need to fix our broken immigration system to reduce the number of unaccompanied children entering the country illegally. But those that do come here need to be cared for appropriately, and this legislation would ensure that HHS thoroughly vet sponsors before releasing any children and keep track of them post release," concluded Johnson.

According to Sen. Scott's press release, the Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act would accomplish the following:

This bill requires a number of steps to be taken in the pre-release and post-release process when HHS places a UAC with a prospective sponsor:

• Establishes Comprehensive Vetting Standards: Requires background checks, including fingerprinting, criminal history, and child abuse checks, for all prospective sponsors of unaccompanied migrant children to ensure their safety.
• Ensures Proper Screening of Adult Household Members: Mandates that all adults in the household of a sponsor undergo the same vetting process as the primary sponsor to prevent unsafe placements.
• Limits Placements with Illegal Aliens: Prohibits releasing unaccompanied children to sponsors who are unlawfully present in the U.S., unless the sponsor is a biological parent, legal guardian, or relative.
• Requires Pre- and Post-Release Monitoring: Implements pre-release home visits and a minimum of five unannounced post-release visits within the first year to monitor the child's safety and well-being.
• Mandates Ongoing Reports and Retroactive Vetting: Requires monthly reports on the status of children placed with sponsors and retroactively vets all past sponsors to ensure compliance with the new standards.