A shocking revelation has emerged from a child trafficking prevention group, exposing catastrophic failures in the safeguards meant to protect unaccompanied migrant children. In a harrowing report, it was disclosed that over 13,000 of these vulnerable children were placed with unvetted sponsors, raising alarms about their safety and well-being.

The findings come in the wake of a testimony from Allie Hopper, founder of Guard Against Trafficking, during a recent Homeland Security hearing. Hopper’s testimony shed light on the dire situation, revealing that a hotline established for children to report safety concerns received a staggering 65,000 unanswered calls between August 2023 and January 2025. This alarming statistic underscores a systemic breakdown in the protective measures supposedly in place.

Hopper expressed her outrage, noting the chilling reality that children attempting to seek help were met with silence. One particularly distressing case involved a child who reported being sexually exploited, yet the call went unanswered until intervention from the current administration. This incident highlights the dire consequences of inadequate oversight and the failure to implement effective safeguards.

The report also criticized the lack of meaningful background checks for sponsors, contrasting the process with that of adopting a pet, which requires stringent identity and income verification. The absence of DNA testing further exacerbated the vulnerability of these children, some of whom have been placed with dangerous individuals, including members of violent gangs.

As the nation grapples with this shocking failure, the call for immediate reform and accountability grows louder. The safety of unaccompanied migrant children hangs in the balance, and urgent action is needed to prevent further exploitation and ensure their protection. The time to act is now—these children deserve better.