Washington D.C. –U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) who is the Ranking Representative on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and Homeland Security, has recently joined the ranks of senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and 16 other Senate Republicans to introduce the Preventing the Recycle of immigrants is necessary to Stop trafficking Suspension (PRINTS) Act.
The main goal on this legislation PRINTS Act is to combat the trafficking of children and humans by providing U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) the power to collect fingerprints on non-citizens below 14 years old. In addition, the legislation requires CBP to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) publish each month on child traffickers’ arrests who falsely claim that children are relatives. A biannual report to Congress will be needed to reveal how many minors whose fingerprints were taken pursuant to this Act.
It is also a way to ensure that the PRINTS Act also seeks to remove the Attorney General’s power to exempt fingerprinting requirements for those who are who illegally cross the border into southern Mexico and to criminalize recycling of children.
Senator Britt expressed concern about the border policies of the current administration and stated that they do not consider the human consequences of their policies. She spoke of the devastation of children who are vulnerable being used for trafficking and recycling across the border of southern insecurity and stressed the necessity of addressing the national security and humanitarian problem.
Senator Blackburn shared these views in a speech that highlighted the devastating humanitarian crisis that has been created by Biden’s open border policies, which particularly affect children as the main victims. She said that the ability of border patrol officers to swab non-citizens whose fingerprints are not yet age of 14 may help in identifying children who are victims of recycling, and also in preventing abuse.
An all-party group composed of Senators comprised of Tom Cotton, Bill Cassidy, Bill Hagerty, Roger Wicker, Steve Daines, Joni Ernst, Ted Cruz, John Hoeven, Mike Rounds, Thom Tillis, Mike Lee Cindy Hyde-Smith John Cornyn, Marco Rubio, J.D. Vance as well as Kevin Cramer, has cosponsored the legislation.
Background information that was provided in an announcement about the PRINTS Act highlighted alarming statistics which included that one of three victims of human trafficking is children. In the year 2019, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) found 600 children who were subjected to recycling and one child was taken across the border eight times. Recent reports suggested that Department of Health and Human Services has lost track of nearly 85,000 children that were given to sponsors, causing concern regarding the possibility of abuse, exploitation and forced labor.
Despite these alarming numbers the present DHS guidelines and Federal laws prohibit Border Patrol agents from fingerprinting children younger than 14. The entire law is accessible for inspection.
This year, at an Senate Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, Senator Britt was questioned by Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra about the administration’s policies on the treatment of unaccompanied migrants children. She expressed serious concerns about guidance on field issues of HHS’ Office of Refugee Resettlement which highlighted the risks that could be posed for children’s well-being and lives because of certain policies.
