A tough-on-crime sheriff in Florida has accused lawmakers of lax immigration policies after 21 of the 228 people arrested in a human trafficking bust were illegal immigrants.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the eight-day, multi-agency operation, titled “Operation Grief March 2024,” included the arrests of military personnel, teachers, coaches and medical professionals. Ta.
The operation began on February 22nd.
Those charged with being in the United States illegally were from Chile, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela, according to the sheriff’s office.
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Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd holds up a sign Tuesday depicting 21 illegal immigrants arrested in a multi-day human trafficking operation. (Polk County Sheriff’s Office)
“We have a crisis at the border, and because of the crisis at the border, there are people who are being forced into sex trafficking illegally, and people are being victimized,” Judd said. “Because we’re letting these criminals into the country illegally. We’re all complaining about this, but no one is paying attention.”
At one point, he held up a placard with an image of the suspect and a message that read, “Federal policies promote illegal immigration and victimization.”
Judd said one of the suspects was traveling to Florida from New York with three women, all of whom were in the country illegally. Authorities said the women were under the control of a female trafficker who threatened them unless they paid $3,000 each.
“They said that when they entered the country illegally, DHS (Department of Homeland Security) gave them papers, identification, documents that allowed them to get on a plane for free,” Judd said. “Do you know how Southwest Airlines (airline) lets your baggage fly for free? The federal government lets your illegal immigrants fly for free.”
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“They tell us they fly into major metro centers for free under federal regulations, where they set up sex appointments all over the country,” he added.
The sheriff then criticized elected officials for failing to address crime stemming from the border crisis and weak immigration policies.
“They sit in gated communities and parliaments and play politics back and forth between the two major parties while undocumented people are being victimized. Citizens are being victimized as well. Children are being victimized as well. “It’s a sacrifice,” he said. “It’s a mess. And it doesn’t have to be that way. If we can deal with it and catch it at the local level, they can stop it at the federal level. Shame on them all. ”
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Judd continued, “Politicians are playing politics while victims are being sacrificed.”
In addition to illegal immigrants, 41 of the suspects arrested were married and 11 were receiving government assistance, Judd said.
The two brothers, ages 16 and 17, were armed with BB guns and wearing hoodies and ski masks, authorities said. They were charged with attempted armed robbery and loitering.
According to police, during the investigation, 13 of the 66 prostitutes were found to be potential victims of human trafficking.
