State Department warns UK about handling child exploitation networks

The Trump administration launched a harsh ccriticism of the United Kingdom for what it considers a failed handling of mass immigration and for the long-running child exploitation crisis linked to abuse networks that operated for decades without adequate intervention.

In a statement, the State Department instructed its diplomatic missions in Europe to closely monitor the effects of rampant immigration on the continent, putting the focus on the United Kingdom but also mentioning Germany and Sweden.

Under the order, embassies will be required to report on the impacts of mass migrationon public safety, implications for human rights and national policies that criminalize or silence those who oppose continued immigration. They will also collect information on crimes and abuses committed by individuals of migrant origin.

Context: decades of scandals and inaction.

The State Department statement picked up on one of the most sensitive issues in British politics: the sexual exploitation networks known as "grooming gangs," networks made up in numerous cases of Pakistani or South Asian men responsible for the abuse of thousands of girls in cities such as Rotherham, Oxford, and Newcastle. According to the State Department, many victims remained unprotected for years despite repeated complaints.

A day after the release of the statement, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said at the G20 in South Africa that the national inquiry into the issue would "leave no stone unturned," GB News reported.

Accusations of cover-up.

The Starmer government faces domestic criticism over the lack of a national inquiry and the resignations of several survivors involved in the process. These victims claim that attempts to minimize the problem persist and describe the situation as a continuation of the cover-up.

Ellie Reynolds, a survivor, stated that the issue has been "brushed under the carpet" and that victims' voices "have been silenced." Fellow survivor Fiona Goddard, who reported being manipulated from the age of 14, maintains that in her case the authorities unfairly labeled her when she sought help.