WATCH: Hawley asks Chavez-DeRemer to crack down on migrant child labor at food processing plants

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., called out American companies like Tyson Foods for their reported use of child labor at Lori Chavez-DeRemer's confirmation hearing for labor secretary on Wednesday.

"We know from the investigations done by The New York Times and others that they have huge numbers of illegal child labor in their supply chains. In their factories, they are putting children who are trafficked here to work," Hawley said. "Will you go after companies like Tyson and anyone else who would violate our labor laws and exploit children while they are firing American workers?"

"Yes, it's an important remit under the Department of Labor, as you know, to protect and not exploit all workers, but certainly child labor should not be accepted by anybody in America," Chavez-DeRemer replied.

Chavez-DeRemer appeared before the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

The former mayor and Oregon congresswoman was raised in a Teamsters family and has strong backing from labor groups. Her union-friendly stance has been a point of contention among her fellow Republicans.

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