The United States Marshals Service (USMS) recently rescued 200 missing children during a six-week national sting operation that concluded last week. “Operation We Will Find You 2,” a second iteration of its first mission, involved seven federal judicial districts across the country from May 20 to June 24. The objective of the operation was to hone in on areas of the country with increasing numbers of missing children.
The USMS released a statement to the press, explaining that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (USMEC) assisted in the mission, which resulted in the successful recovery and removal of approximately 123 children from dangerous circumstances. Additionally, another 77 missing children were found and relocated to safe locations.
The USMS statement read, “Operation We Will Find You 2 (OWWFY2), the second-of-its-kind nationwide missing child operation, was conducted from May 20 to June 24 and focused on geographical areas with high clusters of critically missing children. Children who go missing may be in serious danger and can be vulnerable to child sex trafficking, abuse, exploitation, and other crimes against children.”
Of the rescued children, it was reported that 173 were endangered runaways, and 25 were considered missing. Furthermore, 14 of the found children were located outside of the locality they were reported missing from, the youngest being five months old. Serving as a testament to the effectiveness of the operation, over half of the missing minors were found within a week of the USMS assisting in the cases.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated, “There are no words to describe the terror felt by missing children, their families, and their communities. I am grateful to the dedicated professionals of the U.S. Marshals Service and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children who worked to find 200 critically missing children during this six-week operation, and who work every day to keep children safe.”
USMS Director Ronald L. Davis explained that protecting and rescuing children is one of the organization’s biggest priorities. “One of the most sacred missions of U.S. Marshals Service is locating and recovering our nation’s critically missing children,” he said. “This is one of our top priorities as there remain thousands of children still missing and at risk.”
Furthermore, President and CEO Michelle DeLaune of NCMEC illustrated that the operation was a glowing example of what can be achieved within the organization. “Operation We Will Find You is a shining example of the results we can achieve when we unite in our mission to find missing children,” she said “We are grateful that vulnerable children have been recovered as part of this operation, and we commend the U.S. Marshals Service and all the agencies involved for their commitment to protect youth and ensure these children are not forgotten. Behind every statistic, there is a child who deserves to grow up safe from harm.”
The press release from the USMS further highlighted the effectiveness of the collaboration between law enforcement agencies across different levels of the government. “During the operation, the USMS worked with their respective federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, NCMEC, the Department of Children and Family Services, and other agencies to safely find missing children at risk of endangerment,” the statement read.
While “Operation We Will Find You 2” was a massive win for the federal government, making good use of taxpayer dollars to protect its citizens, conservatives still have many complaints about various agencies. Watch footage below of former Navy Seal Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) sounding off on a top-ranking FBI official over alleged bias:
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