The US government conducts illegal child labor investigations in 11 states. Over 260000 immigrant children have entered the US in the past 2 years
Child Labor Data in the United States
According to a report by NBC on June 8th, the investigation into illegal child labor in the United States has expanded to 11 states, including meat production and processing companies.
Two government officials in the United States have stated that officials from the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the White House are participating in an investigation, believing that there may be a human trafficking program that allows immigrant children to work for meat processing companies. The investigators are unwilling to disclose the names of the companies currently under investigation. Officials say the punishment will include civil fines and criminal charges.
A previous investigation by the US Department of Labor found that a Wisconsin company hired over 100 children in 13 locations across 8 states and paid a civil fine of $1.5 million. The company's spokesperson said that the children hired by the company have used forged documents. According to court documents, some child laborers are afraid of being deported and dare not talk to investigators.
![The US government conducts illegal child labor investigations in 11 states. Over 260000 immigrant children have entered the US in the past 2 years](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/05e67ce452eace6d8a92da5fec8deb31.png)
Over the past two years, illegal child labor from Central American countries has continued to increase. These child laborers often provide forged documents to prove that they are over 18 years old. According to data from the US federal government, over 260000 unaccompanied immigrant children have been allowed to enter the United States in the past two years, with nearly half coming from Guatemala.