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Story

13 Mar 2023

USA: Investigation finds migrant children working in factories in violation of child labour laws; incl. co. responses

In February 2023, a New York Times investigation alleged that migrant children have been working in factories across the United States. Migrant children, mostly from Central America, have allegedly been working long hours, overnight shifts, and in dangerous environments for factories that process food, make textiles, or make auto parts for Ben & Jerry's, Fruit of the Loom, General Mills, JBS Foods, J. Crew, PepsiCo, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods Market, Ford, General Motors, Forge Industrial Staffing, and Hearthside Food Solutions.

The children are among the thousands of unaccompanied minors that have come to the United States and are under the care of sponsors assigned by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Sponsors are required to send children to school, however caseworkers that work with the children allege that about two-thirds of all unaccompanied minors end up working full time.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre reached out to Ben & Jerry's, Fruit of the Loom, General Mills, JBS Foods, J. Crew, PepsiCo, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods Market, Ford, General Motors, Forge Industrial Staffing, and Hearthside Food Solutions for a response. Ben & Jerry's, Fruit of the Loom, General Mills, JBS Foods, PepsiCo, Target, Walmart, Whole Foods Market, General Motors, Forge Industrial Staffing, and Hearthside Food Solutions responded. J. Crew, and Ford did not respond.

Company Responses

Fruit of the Loom View Response
Walmart View Response
Target View Response
J.Crew

No Response

General Mills View Response
Whole Foods Market (part of Amazon) View Response
PepsiCo View Response
Ben & Jerry's (part of Unilever) View Response
Forge Industrial Staffing View Response
Hearthside Food Solutions View Response
General Motors View Response
Ford

No Response

Timeline