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.