(BrightPress.org) – Health and Human Services (HHS) whistleblower Tara Rodas faced retaliation after raising concerns about unaccompanied immigrant children being placed with sponsors linked to the MS-13 gang. She revealed that her discovery led to her being walked off the site under the threat of an investigation.
Rodas expressed disbelief at the retaliation she faced for bringing attention to this issue. She highlighted that the HHS’s Office of Refugee Resettlement Unaccompanied Children program should have been reformed to protect minors at the border. Rodas emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating that the program’s flaws could have been fixed to ensure the safety of the children, but instead, her concerns were silenced.
On July 16th, Rodas and fellow whistleblower Deborah White took part in a roundtable discussion focused on exploited missing migrant children. The event was hosted by Senators Chuck Grassley, Bill Cassidy, and Ron Johnson. Rodas testified that unaccompanied migrant children are moved through various U.S. government agencies, contractors, and nonprofits. She noted that those involved in the process often lack training in protecting children from trafficking or abuse.
Rodas pointed out that the Office of Refugee Resettlement Unaccompanied Children program is misleadingly advertised as a family reunification program. She shared that less than 40% of the children actually go to their parents. In 2021, it was found that MS-13 gang members were acting as sponsors for some of the unaccompanied migrant children arriving at the U.S. southern border.
The Department of Justice calls MS-13 a “well-organized” gang deeply involved in illegal activities and known for its violent methods. At the roundtable, Senator Johnson questioned Rodas about whether U.S. agencies are knowingly placing children with MS-13 gang members due to the current open border policies. Rodas confirmed this, wishing she could offer a different answer.
Whistleblower Deborah White mentioned that the federal effort to find safe shelter for children in America was rushed like an assembly line. This haste increased the risk of children being placed in unsafe shelters or with improperly vetted sponsors. White stated that the mantra was “speed over safety.”
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