Why doesnt the Department work with Interpol to conduct humanitarian visits?
Interpol is an information network among law enforcement agencies. It has proven extremely helpful in locating missing children based on National Criminal Information Center (NCIC) entries. Once a child is located, local law enforcement in a country is responsible for taking follow-up actions on law enforcement-related issues. Interpol Washington can transmit requests to foreign police to locate a child and ascertain his/her welfare, and may include a request that an abducted child be put into protective custody. However, implementation of these requests depends on the local police. Such visits are not a substitute for consular access. The Department does coordinate with Interpol and local law enforcement in locating missing children. However, the Department will always press for consular access to a child, since such visits are a fundamental aspect of our responsibility for the protection of American citizens abroad. In these visits, moreover, the Department will attempt to facilitate
