Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) left Kristi Noem stunned when he asked the Republican South Dakota governor to “put aside” hundreds of thousands of missing children in her upcoming role as the head of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Noem, nominated to lead the DHS by President Donald Trump, faced heated questioning from Blumenthal during her confirmation hearing on Friday.
The exchange centered on President Joe Biden’s handling of migrant children and the broader issue of family separation at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Blumenthal pressed Noem in an effort to suggest that Trump’s policies seek to separate migrant children from their parents.
The senator referenced what he described as lingering impacts of policies from Trump’s first term.
Noem disputed Blumenthal’s assertion, however.
“Senator, the Trump administration never had a family separation policy,” Noem stated.
“They had a zero-tolerance policy which said that our laws would be followed.
“What I’m alarmed by is the over 300,000 children that went missing during the Biden administration.
“When we talk about children and what they’re potentially facing in this country, and the trafficking that’s going on, this administration’s lack of desire to find out where those children are or what they may be going through is alarming to me.
“So I want to stop that.”
Blumenthal attempted to redirect the discussion, urging Noem to “put aside the labels.”
He then urged Noem to “put aside what happened in the past” regarding the hundreds of thousands of children who are still missing under the Biden admin.
Instead, the senator argued that Noem should focus on reunifying the estimated 1,000 children still separated from their parents.
“I’d like your commitment that you’re going to continue the effort to reunite them with their parents,” he said.
However, Noem emphasized her broader concerns about the safety and well-being of children unaccounted for under the Biden administration.
“Senator, keeping families together is critically important to me and this country,” she said.
“I’m concerned about the fact that we no longer have Laken Riley and other children.
“I’m concerned that we have people in this country that don’t know where their children are, or people in other countries who sent their children here and they’ve been lost by this administration.”
Noem vowed to prioritize upholding immigration laws, preventing trafficking, and keeping families together.
“We will uphold our law, and we’ll make sure we’re doing everything we can to keep our children safe from the trafficking and drug epidemic that’s hit this country,” Noem added.
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The exchange took place against the backdrop of alarming reports about the federal government’s inability to track tens of thousands of migrant children.
A report from the DHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) in August revealed that since 2019, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials lost track of at least 32,000 migrant children who failed to appear for court dates.
Additionally, 291,000 children were released into the U.S. without receiving court dates, placing them at heightened risk for trafficking and exploitation.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has been tasked with placing unaccompanied minors with adult sponsors.
So far, HHS has reunited roughly one-third of the children with their parents.
The remaining children have been placed with relatives or, in some cases, individuals not properly vetted.
According to an internal investigation by the inspector general, some minors were placed in homes deemed unsuitable.
In some cases, kids were placed with adults who had criminal records.
Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) released a report further criticizing the Biden admin’s handling of unaccompanied migrant children.
Cassidy’s report alleged widespread failures that enabled the abuse and exploitation of minors.
The report intensifies scrutiny of Biden’s immigration policies.
As Noem’s confirmation process continues, her statements highlight the ongoing debate over the federal government’s approach to immigration enforcement and the care of vulnerable migrant children.
Her commitment to addressing trafficking, enforcing immigration laws, and reuniting families could set the tone for DHS priorities under the incoming administration.
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