A 17‑year‑old migrant has accused the federal child‑migrant program of subjecting her to severe abuse and exploitation during the 2021‑2022 period.
She crossed the southern border in May 2021 and entered the federal system for unaccompanied minors, a process overseen by the Office of Refugee Resettlement.
After arrival, she was assigned to a sponsor—an adult approved to act as a legal guardian—yet she claims she was removed from the shelter by a social worker and left alone at an airport.
She reports that the sponsor sent three men to pick her up, who then forced her into a 20‑hour workday making tortillas and food while denying her food and water.
The girl says she lived on a ceramic floor beside four men, including a drunk individual who attempted to assault her; the sponsor allegedly allowed the situation to continue.
She alleges that the program’s vetting procedures were insufficient, leading to her placement with individuals who could be described as child traffickers and to a near‑rape situation.
She warns that if the program’s former overseer were to assume a new political office, similar abuses could recur for other children.
The testimony raises serious concerns about the safety and oversight of federal child‑migrant programs and the protection of vulnerable minors.
