Dr. Jarrod Sadulski stated that "cartels target migrant children" for exploitation using the U.S. unaccompanied children program. Dr. Sadulski made this statement in a testimony before the GOP Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee during a hearing regarding the treatment of unaccompanied migrant children on July 9.

"Cartels target migrant children for the purpose of exploiting them into the United States through the unaccompanied children program," said Sadulski, Expert Witness, according to YouTube.

According to Sadulski's testimony, unaccompanied migrant children are often placed with individuals posing as sponsors or family members, when in reality their intention is to exploit the children. One example given in the testimony had unaccompanied children placed in the care of a member of MS-13. These circumstances are due to a "history of inadequately vetted staff having access to children without background checks and security clearances," said Sadulski. "There is an urgent need to reform the UC program to mitigate further exploitation and trafficking of children."

The Office of Refugee Resettlement's (ORR) Unaccompanied Children Program has custody of any unaccompanied minor who enters the country, according to the ORR website. The children are placed with sponsors to be cared for until they can be reunited with their families or their immigration case can be addressed.

Sadulski said in his testimony that children are often sold to cartel traffickers when their families cannot pay the needed expenses which they are coerced into paying by coyotes.

Dr. Jarrod Sadulski is a criminologist whose research is focused on human trafficking, according to his website. He has testified before Congress and speaks across the country on the subject of human and sex trafficking.