Bill 119 s 53, also known as the "Child Trafficking Victims Protection Act," aims to address the issue of human trafficking of noncitizen minors entering the United States. The bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to fingerprint noncitizen minors who are suspected of being victims of human trafficking upon their entry into the country. This measure is intended to help identify and protect these vulnerable individuals.
Additionally, the bill mandates that the Secretary publicly disclose the number of noncitizen minors who are fingerprinted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, as well as the number of child traffickers who are apprehended by CBP. This transparency is meant to increase accountability and awareness of the extent of child trafficking at the border.
Furthermore, the bill imposes criminal penalties on noncitizen adults who use unrelated minors to gain entry into the United States. This provision is aimed at deterring individuals from exploiting children for their own gain and holding them accountable for their actions.
Overall, Bill 119 s 53 seeks to strengthen protections for noncitizen minors who may be victims of human trafficking, increase enforcement efforts against child traffickers, and prevent the exploitation of children for immigration purposes.