State Department Seeks ‘Urgent Guidance’ On Older Men Presenting Underage Girls As Their ‘Wives’ At Intake Centers

USA World

A dining facility is being prepared for the arrival of Afghan refugees at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin 

 Daily Mail: Male Afghan evacuees trafficking their child brides into the US: State Department seeks ‘urgent guidance’ on older men presenting underage girls as their ‘wives’ at intake centers 

* U.S. officials are looking into reports that older Afghan men were admitted together with girls they claim as ‘brides’ or otherwise sexually abused 

* U.S. officials at intake centers in the United Arab Emirates and in Wisconsin have identified numerous incidents 

* While child marriage is not uncommon in Afghanistan, the U.S. has strict policies against human trafficking 

* One internal document seen by The Associated Press says the State Department has sought ‘urgent guidance’ from other agencies after purported child brides 

* Another document says Afghan girls at a transit site in Abu Dhabi have alleged they have been raped by older men they were forced to marry to escape 

U.S. officials are looking into reports that in the frantic evacuation of desperate Afghans from Kabul, older men were admitted together with young girls they claimed as ‘brides’ or otherwise sexually abused. 

U.S. officials at intake centers in the United Arab Emirates and in Wisconsin have identified numerous incidents in which Afghan girls have been presented to authorities as the ‘wives’ of much older men. 

While child marriage is not uncommon in Afghanistan, the U.S. has strict policies against human trafficking that include prosecutions for offenders and sanctions for countries that don’t crack down on it.  

Read more …. 

 Update #1: Afghan evacuation raises concerns about child trafficking (AP)
 

Update #2: U.S. investigates “child bride” cases among Afghan evacuees (CBS)  

WNU Editor: No one in the US government is admitting it, but it looks like the vetting process at Kabul airport completely collpased.