WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, Congressman Lance Gooden (R-Texas) sent a letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, requesting information about the agency’s ability to vet sponsors claiming custody of unaccompanied migrant children and the risk this creates for human trafficking.

Rep. Lance Gooden said, “President Biden’s border crisis is not only threatening the safety of our communities, but it’s putting unaccompanied minors crossing our border at risk of human trafficking and exploitation by criminal cartels. HHS must provide Congress answers as to how it intends to protect the safety of these children and why they have eliminated safety measures intended to keep them safe.”

The letter details how President Biden has removed safety protocols intended to keep migrant children safe, including removing the citizenship requirement. The letter also requests information on how familial relationships are verified, as well as questions how the administration conducts background checks on sponsors given the volume of children presenting at the border.

You can read the full text of the letter here.