Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thom Tillis co-sponsored the End Child Trafficking Now Act, legislation which would require a DNA test to determine the relationship between illegal immigrants coming across the border and any accompanying children.
This comes as the Biden Administration reportedly ended all DNA family testing at the border last week on May 31, 2023.
“Right now, there is a serious humanitarian crisis at our Southern border as cartels, coyotes, and other bad actors are exploiting innocent children to cross our border,” said Senator Tillis. “This is completely unacceptable, and the Biden Administration’s response to these unaccompanied minors’ increased risk of sexual abuse and human trafficking has been severely lacking. This legislation is a commonsense, humane reform to help prevent innocent children from being abused.”
“At the center of the illegal immigration debate should be the horrific physical and sexual abuse of children, often at the hands of unrelated adults. Mandatory DNA testing and significant penalties for adults refusing to comply would help stop the incredible heartbreak of the criminal ‘recycling’ of children. Very often these abused minors end up living a life of sex trafficking, drug abuse and worse, and the National Police Association strongly encourages the support and passage of the “End Child Sex Trafficking Now Act,” said Sgt. Betsy Brantner Smith, Spokesman, National Police Association.
Specifically, the End Child Trafficking Now Act would:
- Require DHS to deport illegal immigrant adults if they refuse a DNA test;
- Mandate a maximum 10-year prison sentence for all illegal immigrant adults who fabricate family ties or guardianship over a minor;
- Criminalize “child recycling,” which happens when the same child is used repeatedly to gain entry by illegal immigrant adults who are neither relatives nor legal guardians; and
- Require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to process the child as an unaccompanied minor under current law if family ties or legal guardianship cannot be proven with the accompanying adult.
Click here for the bill text.
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