Child Labor Laws and Migrant Labor by Sophia Elkihel, Law Student, UC Davis School of Law 

Child Labor Laws and Migrant Labor by Sophia Elkihel, Law Student, UC Davis School of Law 

Cecilia Bisogno, Anika Dandekar, and Grace Adcox with Data for Progress issued a report about the impacts of recent rollbacks in child labor laws in the United States, including Iowa, Arkansas, and Ohio. These laws permit children to work extended hours in dangerous positions. The report links the laws with the increase in child migration to the United States, highlighting that child immigration levels in 2022 were three times higher than they were 5 years earlier. Moreover, since the start of the pandemic, companies have increased their employment of child migrants, often in hazardous and life-threatening working conditions.

Data For Progress surveyed voter and found that a majority of voters believe that Congress should expand child labor laws. A majority of voters across from the Democratic and Republican parties as well as Independents believe that government should prevent exploitation of migrant and non-migrant children.

KJ