America’s supply chains are entrenched in a dangerous tolerance for profiteering off the multiple vulnerabilities of unaccompanied children in the United States. On February 25, 2023, a startling New York Times report was published detailing the exploitation of hundreds of unaccompanied children for their labor across the United States. The report named some of the largest and best-known companies in the country as participants in this exploitative practice. It alerted the American public to the fact that items they reach for at the grocery store—Chewy and Nature Valley granola bars, Cheerios and Lucky Charms, Cheetos—all have an ingredient in common: child labor. Although the report was a disturbing revelation for many, the labor exploitation of unaccompanied children is not a new phenomenon, but rather one of America’s best-kept open secrets. It is high time to ensure its end.

Click here to read the full Policy & Advocacy Report by USCRI.