Tools they need to be ready for anything. Mcast supports easement a a public serce among these Television Providers giving weak front receipt to democracies. And now solicitor of labor for the u. S. Labor Department Joins federal officials in the state Department Homeland security and health and Human Services department to testify on the safety and wellbeing of unaccompanied minors encountered at the border. Discuss resource needs holding those accountable for violation of child labor laws and protocols when encountering a child suspected of in traffic. This hearing will come to order. Today we gather for the committees second hearing examining safety and wellbeing of unaccompanied children who seek refuge in the United States we held the first hearing in june the response to a disturbing near times investigation exposing the exploitation of these children. At that hearing we heard from Child Welfare and labor experts for today we hear directly from executive Branch Officials about what steps to confront this problem. I know there is bipartisan interest in this issue. Several republican members asked me too hold todays hearing which is happy to do. Theyre happy to come at the request because i was already working to schedule it. It is a major challenge for our nation we need to face it honestly. There is a long history of both parties working together to protect these children. In 2008 the Senate Unanimously passed the trafficking victims protection reauthorization act. This legislation protections for unaccompanied children were championed by our colleague senator feinstein signed into law by republican president george w. Bush. As a result our laws require unaccompanied children arriving in the United States be screened for Human Trafficking, host and child appropriate settings and reunited with family in the u. S. Will they await their immigration proceedings outcome. These laws enshrine our nations moral and legal responsibility to protect children, Vulnerable Children and those fleeing from persecution for the tragic reality is these children are still at risk once they arrive here. Since 2018 our nation has seen nearly 70 increase, 70 increase in under age children in violation of child labor laws. Several states responded to our labor shortage amazingly by passing laws and making it easier for children to work in many dangerous jobs. It is hard to imagine, but that is affected. When i was in college i spent four summers working in a meatpacking plant in east st. Louis, illinois i can tell you it is no place for a kid. You can lose a limb or a life. Children as young as 12 years of age water working in slaughterhouses and factories make us think of the 1830s and 1930s and not modern times. Our hope in todays hearing will be an opportunity to continue bipartisan spirit protecting unaccompanied children who risk their lives to remind everyone these unaccompanied children are just that, children. I would like to show the story of one eyed teenager named eric. He came to the United States is unaccompanied child, took a job to help his family back home. His employers stop paying him protect dereks birth certificate and immigration documents he threatened to call immigration if eric stopped working and even worse he threatened to harm erics family in his home country. Fortunately eric had the support of an adult who stepped in. I trusted social worker from the department of Human Services. To social worker connected him to federal Law Enforcement as well as medical Legal Services. We all, i hope we all agree no child should ever be abused, exploited or trafficked. Thats why ive tried to be consistent in my oversight efforts the presence republican or democrat. I vigorously oppose and still do the trump administrations family separation policy. Earlier this year i demanded the bite administration do more to protect Migrant Children. They have made progress since then but certainly much more has to be done. We cannot forget the responsibility of the United States congress. It is easy to criticize the executive branch but first we should look in the mirror. It has been decades, three in fact three decades of Congress Passed immigrant meaningful legislation. Instead of lobbing partisan attacks us come together across the aisle to fix our broken immigration system, secure our border, protect these children. I reject the extreme that says not one more immigrant and i have heard my colleagues in congress say that. Not one more immigrant. I also reject extreme that says were doing just fine, status quo is acceptable. Weve got to find middle ground that is reasonable, thoughtful reflects American Values in a world which is teeming with refugees people desperate to find new places to live. Imagine whats going on in the middle east. He going to feel it soon if not already we provide Adequate Funding to increase force meant against child labor violations must children are here and ensure these children access to the services they need. We also need new safeguards than the promise this week of introducing legislation to improve sponsoring bedding, help children navigate the legal system better protect minors in government custody. I welcome a college to be the decided out to join me in that effort. With that i handle things off to the Ranking Member senator graham. Thank you, mr. Chairman. You do have a history of trying to find common ground. And harder problems associated immigration. Ive been working in that regard for long time. Many times with you. I have never seen anything like this. Since 2020 the number of unaccompanied minors is gone upy 312 . I think you will find sympathy on our side to make sure people are well taken care of. But you will also find on our site the desire for safety and wellbeing sometime ensuring the safety and wellbeing of unaccompanied children. What about the safety and wellbeing of the American People . From ilLegal Immigration. Cnn, not fox, smugglers associated with isis are getting people into the country. October 21, Border Patrol stops Record Number of people on their watchlist at southern border. October 23, cbp memo sounds the alarm on hamas hezbollah fighters potential using southern border to enter the u. S. Im a strong supportive aid to ukraine. It is a fight that matters to us. Ukrainians are fighting like tigers im all for giving them more aid and assistance so they cant repel the russian invader. Im all for helping our friends in israel who are in the fight for their very existence. But we have got to do something to help the American People. The American People have an unsecured border. The American People being overrun with ilLegal Immigration. The unaccompanied children have increased since 2020 by 312 . Whatever the bite administration is doing, it is not working. As to the supplemental there will have to be policy changes to get my support. I will not back to South Carolina and say we have israel, we have you cream but we did nothing meaningful in our own border. Our solid system is being games, the parole system is being abused. And after coming back from israel i can tell you with these hamas fighters are capable of. I cannot say it here because it is so terrible. Their desire to kill the jews is unlimited. And they would kill us to if they can get here. So mr. Chairman, now is the time to find a solution to the asylum parole problem so we can have some breathing space to find a way to better protect america i cannot in good conscious tell you that money will fix this. The proposal by President Biden you are our border is more to do with processing Illegal Immigrants than it does to turn them around. My goal is to come up with policies that will stop the flood of ilLegal Immigration which aid terrorists not expedite their entry. Not more money for blue states are housing these people every american should want their border secure. Im sure every american wants to take care of children when we find them. You cannot have every child throughout the world dropped on our doorstep. This is a process that needs to change it is bad for the children. I cannot stress to you enough broken borders existed under the board it is a cocktail for the American People to be viciously attacked. I have run out of patience it is now time to change policy. It is part of a package for our allies. It will be ironic to me we help israel and ukraine and do nothing on our own border that would change the trajectory of ilLegal Immigration. Everything in the biden proposal does not make anybody want to turn around. That is what i am seeking is to have people turn around. Thank you, senator graham. Tonight we welcome the witnesses director for Central American bureau western Hemisphere Affairs at the department of state. Thank you. Also joined by robin dunn at marcos director of the office of Refugee Resettlement at the department of health and Human Services. Then we will hear from a solicitor of labor at the department of labor who i understand is from the great city of chicago, welcome. Our final witness the assistant director for Homeland Security investigations and director of the department of Homeland Security center for countering Human Trafficking. We lay out the mechanics after soaring the witness hs five minutes will have rounds of questioning each senator will have five minutes to try to stay within your allotted time. I would ask the witnesses to please stand to be sworn in. Read your right hand. Do you swear and from the testimony back to before the scheduled will be the truth, the whole truth so be god . Let the record reflect all four witnesses answered in the affirmative. You are first. Thank you chairman durbin Ranking Member graham for holding this important hearing. He loved her and i am honored to join my colleagues here for the true experts in the fighting is trafficking in what happens want Central Americans make the difficult choice to leave the country. I am grateful for the opportunity to talk to you more about the complex conditions a dry people to migrate northern and Central America muscles important progress on her efforts to address them. Northern and Central America faces serious several challenges. Democratic backsliding in the region affects Peoples Trust in institution and perception of how freely they can exercise their rights. Victims of corruption or more likely to express intentions to migrate. High youth unemployment rates numerous barriers such as inadequate access to education vast economic equality spur migration. Coupled with high levels low wages do not cover basic needs, vicious cycle of reliance on debts to meet those all can balkan gypsymigratory wave. Despite decreased homicide rates other types of crime and violence rampant gender gender based violence because insecurity in the region. Many individuals and families who see migration as the only choice to escape poverty, instability, narcotics, violence and related catastrophes in 2021 the Bidenharris Administration brought the strategy to address the root causes of irregular migration from Central America. The root cause a strategy focuses on creating good jobs, promoting democratic governance, protecting human rights, improving security and countering genderbased violence help Central Americans build Better Futures at home. The drive irregular migration forced displacement for Central America food insecurity, structural challenges extreme poverty citizen insecurity, poor governance and endemic corruption. First and foremost we need strong governance in the region. Without it we cannot achieve sustainable equitable progress across all strategic areas including Economic Prosperity and security. We partner with Civil Society the private sector, labor unions, regional Governments International actors to advance u. S. Policy goals. In the last year state department u. S. Agency for International Develop and International Develop supporting more than 1500 human rights defenders and trained more than 500 independent journalists. This support provides quick help to embattled human rights defenders Civil Society organizations to Emergency Assistance supporting human rights actors to begin practitioners to remain resilient and mitigate risk. Overcome threats and continued their important work as safely as possible. For the initiative would bring together u. S. Resources public and private diplomacy, foreign assistance programming and enforcement authorities to protect, defend, promote space in Central America. We are also taking actions to promote accountability and corrupt and undemocratic actors including human rights abuses july 19 lesion the most recent public list consistent with 359 of the northern triangle enhancing engagement act of individuals knowingly engage in acts that undermine democratic processes or institutions, engage in corruption or obstruct an investigation into such acts of corruption. This critical tool permits can build and i push a bipartisan support for our Economic GrowthVice President harassment by innovative Publicprivate Partnership for great good jobs under Central AmericaForeign Companies have committed to invest over fourpoint to billion dollars in el salvador, guatemala and honduras. These investments have created thousands of good jobs. Connected 4 Million People to the internet, brought more than 1 Million People and trained almost 500,000 people to enhance the workforce abilities including digital and language skills. This is key to ending irregular migration. This is not just about investments, our private sector engagement reinforces the rule of law, Good Governance and human rights. We certainly are not naive about the challenges we face it will take time to address many of his longterm structural issues to work on these issues we are grateful continued bipartisan support. Too ultimately help the people in the region maintain their future in their home countries thank you for the opportunity to testify for the great thank you chairman durbin, ranking mammogram and members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to appear today on behalf i have let a dedicated team of professionals who are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of every child in our care. This is not only our mandate it is published earlier this month what established a comprehensive framework for placement and care in the formalize and expand services for unaccompanied children. However, without creations in fiscal year 24 there could be an impact on ors ability minimally required we would also Welcome Congress for o rr to expand only access thank you again for the opportunity to testify today children who come into care face unique challenges doing all we can just say further wellbeing. I am happy to address that thank you. Quick thank you ms. Marcus good morning chairman durbin, Ranking Member grand tent members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to testify today. Department of labor is responsible for enforcing the nations fundamental, federal Worker Protection laws. Including child labor laws. Eightyfive years ago Congress Passed the fair labor standards act, which included child labor provisions. Congress intended to protect children in our industrialized economy by ensuring when young people work the work is safe ageappropriate and does not jeopardize their health, wellbeing or education. The importance and relevance of these foundational principles remain. In fiscal year 2023 the department saw an 88 increase since fy 2019. And the number of children has found employed illegally. As a challenge of child labor exploitation including Migrant Children increases nationwide the department of labor to investigate child la