Backsliding on Child Protections: The Return of Child Labor in the US

What many believe is a thing of the past is in fact an ever-growing crisis, with life and death consequences for children across the US.In a wave of rollbacks, at least 10 states have passed laws to restrict child labor protections in the last couple of years. Today, children as young as 13 are working grueling jobs that put their health, safety, and development at risk — in meatpacking plants, warehouses, and tobacco fields instead of schools. Migrant children especially are at risk of being exploited. Many arrive in the US without parents or guardians, lacking legal protections or a support system. These children are often funneled into the most dangerous sectors of the labor market, where oversight is weak and accountability is rare. Over the last several years, there have been numerous reports about children being seriously injured or killed working in incredibly dangerous conditions.In this event — hosted by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program on November 19, 2025 —  we explore how we arrived at the current landscape of child labor; what it means in the current context; and how we can protect children moving forward and explore what policymakers, child advocates, and labor advocates can do to address weakening child protections. This conversation includes opening remarks from Yesenia Cuello (Co-founder, NC Field), followed by a panel discussion with Ron Estrada (Chief Executive Officer, Farmworker Justice), Reid Maki (Director, Child Labor Advocacy, National Consumers League), Nina Mast (State Economic Analyst, Economic Policy Institute), Charlie Wishman (President, Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO), and moderator Kristina Cooke (Journalist, Reuters).For more information about this event, including a transcript, speaker bios, and additional resources, visit our website. For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel.Or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go.This event is part of our Opportunity in America series.