Official DHS announcements or press releases

Mayorkas Claims Child Trafficking Is Outside DHS Responsibility, Acknowledges 400,000 Lost Children

Dec 22, 2024, 11:08 PM

Alejandro Mayorkas, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, stated that child trafficking at the border is not within the department's responsibilities. During a recent discussion, he acknowledged receiving reports of children being trafficked, including those whose whereabouts are known to the department. However, he emphasized that addressing child trafficking falls outside the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Mayorkas also mentioned that some of the approximately 400,000 children the DHS has lost track of may have been located by their parents, but he reiterated that stopping child trafficking is not his job. This statement has sparked considerable criticism and concern regarding the department's handling of child safety issues at the border.