it wasn't just in the UK

It is an open secret that illegal migrant women and children are in danger of being sexually assaulted when they travel to the USA.

Unlike European migrants, who tend to be fleeing the wars of the Middle East and include a lot of military age men, in the US, women often migrate because Hispanic culture allows women to be independent, and there are a lot of jobs in the USA for them (factories, nannies, caregivers).

But women and children are more vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

I am too lazy to look up all the details, so I asked Grok about human trafficking in the US and to migrants entering the USA

Answer:

Yes, sexual violence, including rape, by human traffickers and smugglers is a well-documented risk for migrants—especially women and girls—traveling to the US, primarily during journeys through Mexico.

Scale of the ProblemReliable exact numbers are difficult due to severe underreporting (victims fear retaliation, deportation, stigma, or lack access to authorities). However, multiple sources report high prevalence:Amnesty International (2010): Up to 60% of women and girls migrating through Mexico may experience sexual assault. link NBC NEWS LINKState Dept LInk

Other estimates: UN and NGOs have cited figures around 70% for women traveling without family protection. Some reports on Central American women/girls reaching ~80%.

A study on Central American migrants found 1 in 4 women experienced sexual violence (mostly rape), far higher than for Mexican women or men.

These assaults often occur en route in Mexico (Darién Gap, cartel-controlled areas, stash houses in border cities like Reynosa and Matamoros) rather than after US entry. Violence has reportedly increased in recent years with surges in irregular migration, kidnappings, and cartel involvement.

How Human Traffickers/Smugglers Are InvolvedSmuggling vs. Trafficking overlap: Many migrants voluntarily pay smugglers ("coyotes"), but coercion frequently turns it into trafficking. Smugglers use debt bondage, threats, family extortion, and violence to control groups. Rape serves as "payment," intimidation, or control.

Common tactics: Kidnapping in stash houses, gang rape (sometimes in front of families), forced prostitution, or repeated assault during transit. Women may take birth control preemptively knowing the risk.

Perpetrators: Cartels, smugglers, gangs, corrupt officials, and sometimes other migrants. In labor trafficking cases involving Latin American migrants, sexual violence occurs in ~20% of documented instances.

Post-arrival: Some face further exploitation (sex or labor trafficking) inside the US, but the journey itself is the highest-risk phase.

Context and Broader DataMigrants from Central America (Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador), Venezuela, and Mexico are heavily affected. Unaccompanied minors and women traveling alone are most vulnerable.

Cartels and criminal groups profit from both smuggling and extortion/trafficking. Reports note rises in sexual violence consultations by groups like Doctors Without Borders.

unwomen.org US government sources (DHS, ICE, CBP) and NGOs like Polaris document immigrant vulnerability to trafficking. Many detected victims in the US are foreign-born.

Underreporting is extreme—most cases never reach authorities. Data comes from survivor interviews, shelters, medical NGOs, and limited official records in Mexico/US. en.wikipedia.org

This is a longstanding humanitarian crisis tied to irregular migration routes, organized crime, poverty, and weak enforcement in transit countries. Efforts include anti-trafficking programs (T-visas in the US), but risks persist for those using dangerous smuggling networks. For official resources, see DHS Blue Campaign or IOM/UNODC reports.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_assault_of_migrants_from_Latin_America_to_the_United_States

so when ICE points out they are trying to trace 300 thousand vulnerable migrant children lost to follow up and that they have only found half of them, the news then ridicules the report, pointing out (correctly) that many of these children were placed with families who just didn't keep in touch with the govt, or into foster homes. 

But that last part ignores that some of these placements were never checked out properly, and that some of the children were diverted into being used for cheap labor or possibly into the black underground of child prostitution.

sigh.

I don't blame the migrants like the Republicans tend to do: If you are poor and have no real opportunities in your country, then yes you will willingly risk death or dishonor to migrate. 

This however does not excuse government who didn't regulate the border under Biden (for charitable reasons, as if the open borders might entice immigrants who just want a job, and of course entice criminal gangs to enter).

In constrast, one sees military age Muslim men traveling in boats trying to enter Europe. This site estimates 80 percent. And then they wonder why rape occurs, and the cultural beliefs make this seem not a crime but acceptable.

Most migrants coming to the USA would work if allowed by an amnesty, but with the US being manipulated by the crazies of both parties, they would rather cause disorder to gain political power than to do like Reagan and legalize those with jobs who have no criminal background.