# Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2023

This bill focuses on protecting children who arrive at the U.S. border without parents or guardians from being exploited by human traffickers. The legislation aims to strengthen the system that identifies which children are victims of trafficking and ensures they receive appropriate care and protection rather than being treated as regular immigration cases.

The bill requires government agencies to improve how they screen unaccompanied migrant children to spot signs of trafficking, such as signs of abuse, exploitation, or coercion. It also establishes better coordination between immigration authorities, law enforcement, and child welfare agencies so that trafficking victims are quickly identified and referred to services designed to help them rather than being processed through the standard immigration system. The law emphasizes training for officials who interact with these children so they can recognize trafficking situations and respond appropriately.

In practical terms, this affects unaccompanied children who cross the border—typically kids fleeing dangerous situations in their home countries. Instead of these children potentially falling through the cracks or being exploited further, the bill creates clearer procedures to identify victims and connect them with shelters, counseling, legal assistance, and other support services. It also aims to hold agencies accountable for properly handling these cases. For immigration officials and child welfare workers, the bill means additional training requirements and new protocols for identifying and assisting trafficking victims among the children they encounter.

Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2023

Scott, Rick

Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act of 2023 This bill imposes additional requirements relating to placing unaccompanied alien children with sponsors. (Under federal law, an unaccompanied alien child is a minor with no lawful immigration status and no parent or legal guardian in the United States to provide care and physical custody.) Before the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may release such a child to a sponsor, the sponsor must complete a fingerprint background check and vetting that includes (1) a public records check, (2) a National Sex Offender Registry check, (3) a Federal Bureau of Investigation National Criminal History Check, (4) a child abuse and neglect check, and (5) state and local criminal history checks. Each adult in the sponsor's household must also undergo such vetting before the placement. Currently, the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within HHS conducts background checks of potential sponsors, which includes fingerprinting and checks of criminal public records and sex offender registries. ORR also vets adults in the sponsor's household in certain cases, such as if the sponsor is unrelated to the child, but this vetting may be waived or relaxed. The bill also requires HHS to visit the home of a proposed sponsor before the placement and to conduct periodic home visits after. A child may not be placed with a sponsor who is unlawfully present in the United States unless the sponsor is the child's parent, relative, or legal guardian. HHS must retroactively apply these vetting standards to all sponsors for placements made since January 20, 2021.