OPINION:
Imagine hundreds of thousands of women and children disappearing — 75% of women and 25% of children — many of them lured, exploited and trafficked after crossing our southern border. Under the watch of Vice President Kamala Harris, this tragic reality has only worsened. Ms. Harris, who was tasked with addressing this crisis as President Biden’s border czar, has done nothing to stop this horrifying wave of exploitation.
The Biden-Harris administration’s failure to act has left vulnerable women and children in the grip of traffickers, gangs and predators. They have been abandoned by a government more focused on dismantling successful border policies than protecting the innocent. This isn’t just a crisis; it’s a moral failure.
A recent Department of Homeland Security inspector general’s report also exposed a shocking fact: The Biden-Harris administration has lost track of 320,000 unaccompanied alien children who crossed our southern border after the government handed them off to unvetted adult sponsors. The problem is far worse than the 85,000 missing migrant children, The New York Times reported last year.
How did we get here? When the Biden-Harris administration reversed the Trump administration’s border policies, it unleashed a flood of illegal immigration that overwhelmed our border infrastructure. By ending policies such as “Remain in Mexico” and halting the construction of the border wall, the White House in effect signaled to the world that America’s borders were open. The result has been a 3½-year humanitarian and security crisis that extends beyond our border.
The consequences of these reckless policies are painfully clear. More than 500,000 unaccompanied alien children have crossed our southern border. These children, already traumatized by the journey, face even greater dangers. The Biden-Harris administration has failed to provide the necessary resources to manage the unprecedented surge, resulting in crowded conditions, inadequate care and lack of accountability. Without proper safeguards and oversight, most of them have fallen prey to human traffickers, gangs and predators.
Moreover, the lack of oversight has allowed violent gangs such as MS-13 and Tren de Aragua to infiltrate our communities, often using these children as pawns. These gangs have taken over apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado, for instance, preying on the most vulnerable and forcing young migrants into a life of violence and crime. The Biden-Harris administration’s inability to protect these children from such predators is a stain on our nation’s conscience.
The human cost of this administration’s failure is immeasurable. Every child lost to trafficking or gang violence represents a life that could have been saved with the right policies and leadership. The Trump administration understood this and implemented successful policies that the Biden-Harris administration willfully and enthusiastically dismantled.
We must demand answers from the Biden-Harris administration. How did it lose track of so many children? What steps is it taking to locate and protect them? And most importantly, what is it doing to prevent this tragedy from continuing?
The American people deserve transparency and accountability, and these children deserve to be found and kept safe.
The left’s newly released border and immigration policy proposals are some of the most radical ever. They fully endorse the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, a proposal that would grant amnesty to nearly all illegal aliens, including criminals, and would reward human traffickers. It would do nothing to solve the border crisis.
It is time for the White House to prioritize the safety of these children over its political agenda. We need immediate action to locate the missing children, provide them with the care they need and ensure that such a failure never happens again. This starts with reinstating policies that secure our borders and protect the most vulnerable among us.
America is a country built on compassion and justice. We have a responsibility to protect those who seek refuge in our country, especially innocent children caught in the crossfire of failed policies. The Biden-Harris administration must be held accountable for its negligence, and swift action must be taken before more children are lost.
The time for excuses is over. Americans — and the 320,000 missing migrant children — deserve better.
• Bob Unanue serves as a board member for the America First Policy Institute and chairman of the Hispanic Leadership Coalition. He is president and CEO of Goya Foods and Goya Cares and served as executive producer of the movie “Sound of Freedom.” Jorge Martinez is the Hispanic outreach strategist and Spanish spokesperson for the America First Policy Institute. He previously served as press secretary in the Department of Justice.
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