USC - Enhancing efforts to combat the trafficking of children

View all text of Part IV [§ 1221 - § 1232]

§ 1232. Enhancing efforts to combat the trafficking of children

(a) Combating child trafficking at the border and ports of entry of the United States

(1) Policies and procedures

(2) Special rules for children from contiguous countries

(A) Determinations

Any unaccompanied alien child who is a national or habitual resident of a country that is contiguous with the United States shall be treated in accordance with subparagraph (B), if the Secretary of Homeland Security determines, on a case-by-case basis, that—

(i) such child has not been a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons, and there is no credible evidence that such child is at risk of being trafficked upon return to the child’s country of nationality or of last habitual residence;

(ii) such child does not have a fear of returning to the child’s country of nationality or of last habitual residence owing to a credible fear of persecution; and

(iii) the child is able to make an independent decision to withdraw the child’s application for admission to the United States.

(B) Return

An immigration officer who finds an unaccompanied alien child described in subparagraph (A) at a land border or port of entry of the United States and determines that such child is inadmissible under the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.) may—

(i) permit such child to withdraw the child’s application for admission pursuant to section 235(a)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1225(a)(4)); and

(ii) return such child to the child’s country of nationality or country of last habitual residence.

The Secretary of State shall negotiate agreements between the United States and countries contiguous to the United States with respect to the repatriation of children. Such agreements shall be designed to protect children from severe forms of trafficking in persons, and shall, at a minimum, provide that—

(i) no child shall be returned to the child’s country of nationality or of last habitual residence unless returned to appropriate employees or officials, including child welfare officials where available, of the accepting country’s government;

(ii) no child shall be returned to the child’s country of nationality or of last habitual residence outside of reasonable business hours; and

(iii) border personnel of the countries that are parties to such agreements are trained in the terms of such agreements.

(3) Rule for other children

(4) Screening

(5) Ensuring the safe repatriation of children

(A) Repatriation pilot program

(B) Assessment of country conditions

Not later than 18 months after December 23, 2008, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, with assistance from the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall submit a report to the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives on efforts to improve repatriation programs for unaccompanied alien children. Such report shall include—

(i) the number of unaccompanied alien children ordered removed and the number of such children actually removed from the United States;

(ii) a statement of the nationalities, ages, and gender of such children;

(iii) a description of the policies and procedures used to effect the removal of such children from the United States and the steps taken to ensure that such children were safely and humanely repatriated to their country of nationality or of last habitual residence, including a description of the repatriation pilot program created pursuant to subparagraph (A);

(iv) a description of the type of immigration relief sought and denied to such children;

(v) any information gathered in assessments of country and local conditions pursuant to paragraph (2); and

(vi) statistical information and other data on unaccompanied alien children as provided for in section 279(b)(1)(J) of title 6.

(D) Placement in removal proceedings

Any unaccompanied alien child sought to be removed by the Department of Homeland Security, except for an unaccompanied alien child from a contiguous country subject to exceptions under subsection (a)(2), shall be—

(i) placed in removal proceedings under section 240 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1229a);

(ii) eligible for relief under section 240B of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1229c) at no cost to the child; and

(iii) provided access to counsel in accordance with subsection (c)(5).

(b) Combating child trafficking and exploitation in the United States

(1) Care and custody of unaccompanied alien children

(2) Notification

Each department or agency of the Federal Government shall notify the Department of Health and Human services 1

1 So in original. Probably should be capitalized.

within 48 hours upon—

(A) the apprehension or discovery of an unaccompanied alien child; or

(B) any claim or suspicion that an alien in the custody of such department or agency is under 18 years of age.

(3) Transfers of unaccompanied alien children

(4) Age determinations

(1) Policies and programs

(2) Safe and secure placements

(A) Minors in department of health and human services custody

(B) Aliens transferred from Department of Health and Human Services to Department of Homeland Security custody

(3) Safety and suitability assessments

(A) In general

(B) Home studies

(4) Legal orientation presentations

(5) Access to counsel

(6) Child advocates

(A) In general

(B) Appointment of child advocates

(i) Initial sites

(ii) Additional sites

(iii) Selection of sites

Sites at which child advocate programs will be established under this subparagraph shall be located at immigration detention sites at which more than 50 children are held in immigration custody, and shall be selected sequentially, with priority given to locations with—

(I) the largest number of unaccompanied alien children; and(II) the most vulnerable populations of unaccompanied children.

(i) Administrative expenses

(ii) Nonexclusivity

(iii) Contribution of funds

(D) Annual report to Congress

(E) Assessment of Child Advocate Program

(i) In general

(ii) Matters to be studied

In the study required under clause (i), the Comptroller General shall— 2

2 So in original.

collect information and analyze the following:

(I) analyze the effectiveness of existing child advocate programs in improving outcomes for trafficking victims and other vulnerable unaccompanied alien children;(II) evaluate the implementation of child advocate programs in new sites pursuant to subparagraph (B);(III) evaluate the extent to which eligible trafficking victims and other vulnerable unaccompanied children are receiving child advocate services and assess the possible budgetary implications of increased participation in the program;(IV) evaluate the barriers to improving outcomes for trafficking victims and other vulnerable unaccompanied children; and(V) make recommendations on statutory changes to improve the Child Advocate Program in relation to the matters analyzed under subclauses (I) through (IV).

(iii) GAO report

Not later than 3 years after March 7, 2013, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit the results of the study required under this subparagraph to—

(I) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;(II) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate;(III) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; and(IV) the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives.

(F) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to carry out this subsection—

(i) $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2014 and 2015; and

(ii) $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 2021.

(d) Permanent protection for certain at-risk children

(1) Omitted

(2) Expeditious adjudication

(3) Omitted

(4) Eligibility for assistance

(A) In general

A child who has been granted special immigrant status under section 101(a)(27)(J) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(27)(J)) and who was in the custody of the Secretary of Health and Human Services at the time a dependency order was granted for such child, was receiving services pursuant to section 501(a) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980 (8 U.S.C. 1522 note) at the time such dependency order was granted, or has been granted status under section 101(a)(15)(U) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(U)),,2 shall be eligible for placement and services under section 412(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1522(d)) until the earlier of—

(i) the date on which the child reaches the age designated in section 412(d)(2)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1522(d)(2)(B)); or

(ii) the date on which the child is placed in a permanent adoptive home.

(B) State reimbursement

(5) State courts acting in loco parentis

(6) Transition rule

(7) Omitted

(8) Specialized needs of unaccompanied alien children

(e) Training

(f) Omitted

(g) Definition of unaccompanied alien child

(h) Effective date

This section—

(1) shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after December 23, 2008; and

(2) shall also apply to all aliens in the United States in pending proceedings before the Department of Homeland Security or the Executive Office for Immigration Review, or related administrative or Federal appeals, on December 23, 2008.

(i) Grants and contracts

(Pub. L. 110–457, title II, § 235, Dec. 23, 2008, 122 Stat. 5074; Pub. L. 113–4, title XII, §§ 1261–1263, Mar. 7, 2013, 127 Stat. 156–159; Pub. L. 115–393, title III, § 301(d), Dec. 21, 2018, 132 Stat. 5272.)