A Florida sheriff says: found the evidence It is alleged that illegal aliens were using federal tickets to facilitate human trafficking across the U.S. border during law enforcement operations.
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd praised his deputies for arresting 228 people in a massive multi-agency operation dubbed “Operation March of Sorrow 2024.”
Those arrested in the operation included teachers, coaches, medical professionals, active military personnel, and 21 illegal aliens.
At a news conference Tuesday, Judd criticized Congress’ inaction to address the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“We have a crisis at the border, and because of the crisis at the border, there are people who are forcing undocumented immigrants into the sex industry and are victimizing them,” Judd said. . “Because we’re letting these criminals into the country illegally. We’re all complaining about this, but no one is paying attention.”
Judd said one of the suspects brought three illegal immigrant women to Florida from New York.
“They said that when they entered the country illegally, DHS (Department of Homeland Security) gave them papers, IDs and papers to get them on the plane for free,” Judd said.
“You know how Southwest Airlines (airline) lets your baggage fly for free? The federal government lets your illegal immigrants fly for free,” he added.
The victims said they were forced to repay $3,000 to the female trafficker under threat of violence.
“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 continued.
“Shame on them all.”
He went on to directly address Congress’ failure to address the immigration crisis.
“They sit in gated communities and parliaments and play politics back and forth between the two major parties while undocumented people are victimized. Citizens are victimized as well. Children. “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. ”
The sheriff’s office said the people who entered the country illegally are from Venezuela, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Chile and Cuba.
Judd said 44 of the suspects arrested were married and 11 were receiving assistance from the government.
“Politicians are playing politics while victims are being victimized,” Judd said.
One of the organizations that helped organize this event was Heartland for Children.Group spokesperson warned Most human trafficking victims know their abusers well.
“While they may think of it as ‘stranger danger,’ these people often befriend them through video games, classes, and sports, and take advantage of their vulnerability and friendship,” Kadian Parchment said. Told.
Here are the details of Sheriff Judd’s claims:
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