Senator Scott Slams Democrats’ Failure to Secure the Border During National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Exposes Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence Crisis at Border 

WASHINGTON —Today, U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) marked National Human Trafficking Prevention Month by highlighting the troubling increase in human trafficking and sexual exploitation caused by the Biden administration’s open border policy. Since 2021, the administration has incentivized historic levels of illegal immigration, creating an unmitigated humanitarian disaster including an alarming uptick of women and children sexually assaulted and trafficked while crossing illegally. 

“President Biden’s open border policies are anything but humane,” said Senator Scott. “Illegal immigrants smuggled through our open border are abused, raped and even killed on their way to the United States. Democrats’ continued inaction and failure to secure our southern border fuels this barbaric human trafficking crisis.”

Since 2021, over 10 million known illegal immigrants have entered the U.S. This mass migration is driven by the Biden administration’s repeal of strong border security policies, such as Remain in Mexico and Title 42, and implementation of open border tools like the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) One App, which processes illegal immigrants into the U.S.

These 10 million illegal immigrants include over 85,000 unaccompanied children (UACs), whom the Biden administration is currently unable to account for, and 150,000 UACs who crossed into the U.S. in 2022 – 60% of whom are likely to be exploited through child pornography and drug trafficking. Furthermore, nearly one-third of women and children are sexually assaulted crossing the border. According to information obtained by Reuters, in 2023, criminal investigations into the rape of foreign nationals were the highest ever recorded in two major transit routes for illegal immigrants – Reynosa and Matamoros.

Championing 10 pieces of border security legislation, Senator Scott has long pressed the Biden administration to end immigration policies which increase human trafficking and sexual violence. The Secure the Border Act of 2023, Alan T. Shao II Fentanyl Public Health Emergency and Overdose Prevention Act, Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act, Securing Our Border Act and Stop Fentanyl Border Crossings Act are just a few pieces of legislation the Senator has fought for to disincentivize illegal immigrants, including vulnerable women and children, from embarking on the dangerous journey to the U.S.