October 22, 2024
Clarissa Rippee, a Contract Specialist for the General Services Administration (GSA), has reportedly blown the whistle on a $347 million government contract to move unaccompanied children across the United States. Rippee also provided disturbing details on these children being deemed “commodities” who were flung all over the country under circumstances she described as inhuman. Her admission is a reflection of growing concerns over child abuse and trafficking under current U.S. immigration policies.
Rippee told James O’Keefe, of O’Keefe Media Group, how shocked and compelled she was by learning about the contract. “It felt like someone kicked me in the gut,” Rippee said. She further added, “What you know, you cannot unknow. It’s about the children, and it’s my duty now to speak up.” Rippee’s revelations describe a troubling pattern of abuse in the transportation of unaccompanied minors, a process she called “a big money business.”
The Exponential Rise of Human Trafficking Since Biden and Harris Took Office.
Rippee’s whistleblowing occurs during a documented increase in human trafficking and exploitation, especially among unaccompanied minors, following the inaugurations of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. With thousands more unaccompanied children and teens crossing the border into Mexico since their first administration was in office, the rise in the number of unaccompanied children and adolescents crosses has sparked concern among child welfare agencies and law enforcement.
According to The Epoch Times, data shows that the number of human trafficking cases tied to illegal border crossings skyrocketed after the Biden administration relaxed many of the border security measures implemented under former President Donald Trump. The removal of key immigration policies, such as the “Remain in Mexico” policy, has allowed human traffickers to exploit gaps in the system, leading to a significant rise in unaccompanied minors being funneled into trafficking networks. This alarming trend was compounded by the Biden administration’s decision to eliminate the White House Anti-Trafficking Task Force, a move widely criticized by anti-trafficking advocates.
The Trump administration’s enacted task force played a crucial role to coordinate efforts among federal agencies, NGOs and international partners to combat human trafficking. Its removal is widely perceived as a defeat in the war on trafficking, and the administration has done little to combat the crisis, critics claim.
The Human Cost of Bureaucratic Ignorance
Rippee detailed how minors, separated from their families, are treated as mere numbers to be processed, often with little regard for their well-being. “It’s just an accepted part of the bureaucracy,” she stated. “But the reality is, this is exploitation, and it has to stop.”
Rippee’s whistleblowing follows a similar pattern of revelations made by Border Patrol Agent Zachary Apotheker, who leaked child trafficking operations at US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) earlier this year. Apotheker described in his documentary “Line in the Sand” how the border crisis has turned into a safe haven for traffickers, many of whom profit from the trafficking and exploitation of children. Rippee and Apotheker are part of a growing group of whistleblowers exposing the horrific scale of human trafficking made possible by inadequate regulation and weak immigration policies.
The Government’s Response… or Lack Thereof
Despite the Biden administration’s repeated claims that it prioritizes human rights, the elimination of the Anti-Trafficking Task Force and the apparent lack of oversight in the transportation of unaccompanied minors suggest otherwise. But opponents claim that the government hasn’t stepped up to curb the cause of trafficking, instead letting the situation worsen.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland, who has acknowledged a surge in threats and intimidation for immigration officials, has been relatively silent on the trafficking. While the Department of Justice (DOJ) has set up task forces to address election-related concerns, efforts to crack down on human trafficking have been notably absent from the administration’s agenda.
Public Response and Support for Whistleblowers
Rippee’s courage has spark public outrage and renewed calls for transparency in government contracts on immigration and border protection. Advocacy groups are joining her and others such as Apotheker to push for a stronger, more accountable system, with a focus on vulnerable children, rather than bureaucratic indifference.
To aid these whistleblowers, O’Keefe Media Group has established a donation program through the Citizen Journalist Foundation where anyone can help fight to hold government officials and contractors responsible.
To read the full story of this scandal and donate to whistleblowers such as Rippee and Apotheker, please visit O’Keefe Media Group.
