A legislation for mandate DNA testing for migrants crossing the U.S. – Mexico border was introduced Wednesday by Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) and other Republican lawmakers, claiming that this king of measure will help ending child trafficking, informed The Hill.
Sens. Thom Tillis (N.C.), Joni Ernst (Iowa) and Mike Rounds (S.D.) joined Blackburn in the introduction of the bill named End Child Trafficking Now Act, in a press release accompanied with another bill in the House presented by Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Tex.).
In her recent visit to the U.S. – Mexico border, Blackburn said that she experienced “firsthand” the impacts of the surge in migrants, especially the unaccompanied minors, which gave her the reason for this kind of legislation.
“Adults attempting to slip across our borders under the guise of being parents or relative to a minor must be DNA tested to prove they are related,” said Blackburn in a statement.
This is a second attempt for Blackburn to introduce such a legislation, as in 2019 she proposed DNA testing of migrants bill, but didn’t get any vote.
She hopes that the recent attention to the increased migrant rate will secure her more support for the legislation.
“Drug cartels and gangs are using children to falsely introduce themselves as family units and seek asylum at our Southern Border. These unaccompanied minors are especially vulnerable to trafficking and are often forced to perform sex acts,” said Blackburn Wednesday.
“Making DNA tests mandatory on anyone claiming a family relationship with a minor will send powerful message that traffickers will be caught and aggressively prosecuted” she added.
The other GOP senators made their points in separate statements, with Ernst arguing that the DNA testing will help secure “the wellbeing of these children and the security of our nation,” and Tillis criticizing the Biden administration for the weak response to the migrant surge.
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