(The Center Square) — Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares is again demanding action from the federal government as information concerning the unknown whereabouts of thousands of migrant minors continues to come to light.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General released a report this week revealing “significant failures in the oversight and management of unaccompanied migrant children, contributing to thousands of children going missing after being released from federal custody,” according to a press release from Miyares’ office.
“The disappearance of even one child is a tragedy, but the bureaucratic failures that have led to the loss of hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied migrant children is nothing short of a crisis,” Miayres said in a statement.“Federal, state, and local authorities must work together to establish a seamless system that prioritizes the safety and well-being of these children. This is not just a federal issue—it is a national crisis that requires full commitment and cooperation from all levels of government.”
Many unaccompanied migrant children come to America with the intent of helping support their families back home. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will place them with an adult relative or guardian, but some leave their sponsors when they’re in their teens, some reportedly attempting to be with a significant other or relative where they can also potentially find higher-paying work.
Federal law prohibits children under the age of 16 from working more dangerous jobs and anyone under the age of 18 from working jobs declared hazardous by the Secretary of Labor. But these are the jobs many migrant children are running to, including working in meat packing plants, roofing or construction, according to an exposé by the New York Times.
The report also uncovered breakdowns in federal interagency communication and with state and local agencies.
“Virginia law enforcement agencies are committed to protecting their communities and locating any missing or exploited individuals. However, when unaccompanied migrant children are relocated to different communities, the federal government refuses to notify local law enforcement or social services,” according to the release.
Miyares has previously written to President Biden and the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to both share his concerns and make recommendations for how the issue could be addressed.