In this article we learn that "The Department of Health and Human Services placed more than a dozen immigrant children in the custody of human traffickers" after they had failed to get background checks on the caregivers. Law enforcement had discovered in Ohio that there was six children at the age of 14 years old working in egg farms. Then they discovered another 13 who were being trafficked. Their main job is to give immigrant children who arrive at the border without parents to a caregiver who can keep them for a while. What the DHHS failed to do was to follow up on the caregivers and getting background checks which ended with children being abused and used to traffic.
In my opinion I think this is horrible and shows how irresponsible the Department of Health and Human Services are. The fact that they couldn't do a background check for caregivers they were putting these children into is so stupid. It makes me questions whether if they did it just because they are immigrant children and thought that they weren't that important to get the caregivers checked. It also makes me question how reliable this department is. Their job is to make sure these kids are being put into families that can help them and keep them safe. Their motto says "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America" however just because these children aren't American makes it seem like they didn't take the time to research because they are immigrants.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/29/us/politics/us-placed-immigrant-children-with-traffickers-report-says.html?_r=0
DHHS: http://www.hhs.gov/about/strategic-plan/introduction/index.html#mission
The saddest part, easily missed, is that "officials at times did not examine whether an adult who claimed to be a relative actually was, relying on the word of parents, who, in some cases, went along with the traffickers to pay off smuggling debts."
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