A New York Times investigation reveals the breadth of an ugly secret in America: migrant children working full-time jobs in slaughterhouses, laundries, factories and other punishing industries. The newspaper spoke to more than 100 unaccompanied minors in 20 states who are manning conveyer belts, running milking machines, fixing roofs, harvesting coffee—all to make money to survive in the U.S. and send something home to their suffering families. The investigation found the system that is supposed to protect children from labor exploitation has broken down even as the number of migrant children has grown.
