Tens of thousands of children in the U.S., spanning all 50 states, work full time, often on overnight shifts and in dangerous jobs. For the past year and a half, my colleague Hannah Dreier has been reporting on the explosion of child labor among young migrants who have recently arrived in this country. The story exposes the human costs of this country’s broken immigration system. Over the past 15 years, entering the U.S. without legal permission has become easier, especially for children. A 2008 law, intended to protect children from harm on the Mexican side of the border, has meant that children can usually enter the country without documentation.

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Persons: Tyson, —, Hannah Dreier, Marcos Cux, Perdue, Hannah, “, Dexter Filkins Organizations: Perdue, Tyson Foods, Government, Times Magazine Locations: U.S, Washington, Virginia, Central America