Republican senators have reintroduced the End Child Trafficking Now Act, which mandates DNA testing at the southern border to verify the relationships between illegal migrants and the children they accompany.

This legislation aims to combat child trafficking, particularly as it is exploited by Mexican cartels amid the ongoing border crisis under the Biden administration.

Senator Marsha Blackburn highlighted alarming statistics, revealing that up to 30% of children tested were found not to be related to the adults they traveled with, raising serious concerns about trafficking.

The bill also criminalizes 'child recycling,' a practice where undocumented adults use the same child multiple times to gain entry into the U.S.

Under the proposed law, illegal migrants who refuse DNA tests would face deportation, and those who falsify family relationships with minors could receive a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

Representative Claudia Tenney has stated that Tom Homan, the Trump administration’s border czar, will prioritize locating 300,000 migrant children who went missing during the Biden administration.

Tenney emphasized the importance of addressing child trafficking and ensuring the safety of these vulnerable victims from abuse.

Senator Blackburn first introduced this legislation in June 2023 and reintroduced it in January 2025 after it failed to pass in the previous Congress.

The bill has garnered support from several GOP senators, including Bill Cassidy, Ted Cruz, and Joni Ernst, among others.

However, critics of the bill argue that the DNA testing requirement could lead to increased family separations at the border.