Posted on 09/04/2021 12:59:02 PM PDT by chief lee runamok
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Lawmakers are demanding answers following reports of a federal probe into the potential labor trafficking of migrant teens in Woodburn, Oregon.
According to a report from Bloomberg Law, the federal government has launched a multi-agency investigation to determine whether unaccompanied migrant teens were released from government custody to labor traffickers who sent them to work on agricultural plants in Woodburn and other locations.
“These kids are coming across the border seeking a better life, only to be sold into a trafficking situation? That’s incredulous and horrible,” Oregon Congressman Kurt Schrader told KOIN 6 News.
The investigation comes as the US faces a record numbers of migrant minors crossing the border unattended. According to a Congressional Research Service report, the US has already documented 90,000 encounters with unaccompanied minors at the border — more than the 75,000 total reported for 2019.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), tasked with finding suitable placements for unaccompanied children apprehended at the border, reported releasing over 75,000 unaccompanied children to sponsors from October 2020 to July 2021.
Congressman Schrader represents Woodburn and is one of many lawmakers calling for transparency regarding the investigation. Schrader told KOIN 6 News leaders on both sides of the aisle are appalled by these claims and working to get to the bottom of this issue.
“It’s very frustrating to be honest with you! It’s pretty amazing for this to be happening in my own backyard and not getting any intelligence from the Department of Justice or anybody else,” Schrader explained. “As a delegation we’re trying to get on this and get some answers as to what the heck is going on.”
In a letter to HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra obtained by KOIN 6 News, Congressman Luis Correa of California said, “If true [the investigation], this is deeply disturbing. I am requesting a briefing on the investigation as soon as possible.”
He added, “The United States has a moral responsibility to ensure that children are released to family members or to safe sponsors, and not to work in agricultural processing plants.”
According to the report by Bloomberg law, emails from the U.S. Justice Department’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit describe dozens of minors aged 13 to 17 being released to Woodburn and Enterprise, Alabama (sometimes to the same sponsor). This caused the federal foster care system to issue a stop-placement order, pausing the placement of unaccompanied migrant children in the Woodburn area.
But why have so many children potentially slipped through the cracks? Following similar trafficking investigations of unaccompanied migrants in 2019, former DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen claimed these cases often involve traffickers posing as family. She said “cases of ‘fake families’ are popping up everywhere. And children are being used as pawns.”
Schrader described witnessing similar trafficking attempts during his time at the border. “There are unfortunately a number of folks that will masquerade as an uncle, a father or even a mother of a child – only to find out later it’s an unaccompanied minor that has been ‘partnered’ up with these folks to help them get across the border,” he described. “I can see very easily where these types of folks would take advantage of those kids.”
HHS spokesperson Tesia Williams told KOIN 6 News, “The safety of children in HHS custody is of utmost priority for our agency. If we become aware of allegations that unaccompanied children are being trafficked, we will notify the proper state and federal authorities.”
We need to stop this now,” said Congressman Schrader. “We need to put some safety measures in place and make sure when we are releasing these kids to sponsors that they truly are sponsors and these folks are vetted out so that these kids are not at risk.”
KOIN 6 News reached out to the FBI, ICE, and the Department of Justice regarding the alleged investigation and not one of the agencies agreed to comment on record.
Congressman Schrader told KOIN 6 News, despite their inquiries he and his constituents have not yet been briefed on this matter. He urges anyone with information contact law enforcement.
Surprise, Surprise, Surprise.
Who do they think is paying for the transportation to the border?
Federal probes in to labor traffickers?
That could go on for years.
Modern slave trade, run by the Chamber of Commerce and Democrats.
How is a Democrat working to obtain slaves newsworthy?
Uber liberal oregon harboring traffickers... nah. Arent they getting the liberal minimum wage.. o wait, thats zero, yes they are.
Actually this sounds like the lead up to the boohoo train we hear during budget talks, so bs.
Probably ought to close the border then
Exactly what we knew would happen.
Ben Carson said we have more slaves in America now than we did in 1860.
If you would like more information about what’s happening in Oregon, please FReepmail me. Please send me your name by FReepmail if you want to be on this list.
Biden is effectively giving us a Three-fer: He is destroying American sovereignty, destroying “immigrant” families, and destroying the lives of “immigrant” young people. All this and Fentanyl too! If we were in a war, Biden would be a War Criminal. But, we ARE in a war, one for the very existence of America. What Biden will leave in his wake will be destruction and chaos, through corruption and incompetence.
This is new? It would be interesting to find out what percentage of workers in agricultural processing plants are simply illegals, if not not actually trafficked.
A few years ago, a restaurant owner in my area was found to be keeping his employees, illegals from Mexico, as virtual slaves. The good news is that he and his wife went to the federal pen. I am not sure why he didn’t get away with this while others do.
Well, at least the migrants are working instead of on government hand-outs. Of course, these kids should get at least minimum wage along with housing and food. What does a private in the US Army get. Three hots and a cot and a wage?
“Agricultural”, yeah, right. If they are young enough, they are sold as prostitutes, often made addicted to drugs so they are more cooperative.
The lucky ones are made into domestic slaves. There are still a lot of vile people who think that is okay. Scant low quality food and beatings are the rule of thumb.
There are lots of other horrible jobs they can be sold for.
Caesar Chavez and his United Farm Workers bitterly hated and attacked illegal aliens working for farmers, and they watch farms carefully to insure there are no unauthorized workers there. And the INS was also very down on it.
To quote Claude Raines, “I’m shocked, shocked!”
“Modern slave trade, run by the Chamber of Commerce and Democrats.”
Hate to disturb you with a truth check but the Republicans who are known on FR and elsewhere as the “Cheap Labor Express” also support illegal alien labor and probably even slave labor.
https://seeingredaz.wordpress.com/2016/08/27/republicans-and-illegal-aliens-a-no-win-proposition/
“Republicans and illegal aliens: A no-win proposition
John McCain and Jeff Flake cited as relentless amnesty purveyors”
If the couldn’t cross these teens couldn’t be exploited. How complicated is that?
Don’t disagree with that.
I thought I was saying Republican establishment when I said Chamber of Commerce.
Congressman Kurt Schrader should learn the proper usage of “incredulous” so he can explain what he means clearly.
E1 gets a little over $21k a year plus a few bennies. Not much.
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