The Biden administration has announced new measures to prevent the labor exploitation of migrant children released from U.S. custody, citing an increase in workplace violations involving such minors in recent years. The measures include improving the vetting of adults who sponsor migrant children out of government custody and increased efforts to investigate and prosecute cases of child exploitation in worksites across the U.S. The Department of Labor reported a 70% increase in the number of children illegally employed by companies over the past five years. HHS committed to expanding services to unaccompanied minors released from the department's custody, and to craft new guidance to inform migrant children and their sponsors that federal law prohibits employers from hiring minors to do dangerous jobs.
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