HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TODAY ADOPTS AMENDMENT BY CONGRESSWOMAN SHEILA JACKSON LEE THAT STRENGTHENS THE ABILITY OF STATE AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT TO IDENTIFY, APPREHEND, AND PROSECUTE DOMESTIC CHILD TRAFFICKERS

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a Senior Member on the House Homeland Security Committee and the House Judiciary Committee and Co-Chair of the House Congressional Children’s Caucus, released the following statement after her amendment, which would help fill an information gap dealing with human trafficking by providing the informational resources to local law enforcement who will be able in turn to share that information with the victims was, unanimously approved and accepted by the House of Representatives today:

“Let me first offer my appreciation and thanks to Ranking Member Chaka Fattah and to Chairman Frank Wolf for their work on this legislation and decades long commitment and advocacy on behalf of victims of crime, especially child victims, who are the most vulnerable and innocent victims. I appreciate them accepting my amendment to this bill.

“Trafficking in humans, and especially domestic child trafficking, has no place in a civilized society. Those who engage in this illicit trade should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. That means we need to ensure that state and local law enforcement agencies have the tools, resources, and training necessary to identify, apprehend, and prosecute criminals who ruthless traffic in children and young persons. One of the most effective resources in bringing criminals to justice is the cooperation and assistance of their victims.

“Perpetrators of crime know that they are more likely to evade detection and punishment when their victims refuse to assist or cooperate with law enforcement. That is why they make it a point to instill fear in their victims – for their own safety or that of family and loved ones. My amendment, which was accepted on the House Floor today as a part of  H.R. 4660 – the Commerce Justice and Science Appropriations Act of 2015, strengthens and complements the bill by providing another tool in law enforcement’s arsenal to tip the balance in favor of victims.

“My amendment simply will help ensure that the U.S. Attorney General will provide training for State and local law enforcement agencies on the immigration law that may be useful for the investigation and prosecution of crimes related to trafficking in persons, including education on the availability of certain nonimmigrant visas for victims of trafficking who cooperate in the investigation or prosecution of the crime of which the individual was a victim.

“In 2007, Congress passed the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (VTVPA), which created the T-Visa, and reserved it for those who are or have been victims of human trafficking. The Nonimmigrant Status (“T-Visa”) protects victims of human trafficking and helps law enforcement by allowing victims to remain in the United States to assist in the investigation or prosecution of human traffickers.

“Unfortunately, many victims of crime and victims of human trafficking are unaware of the existence and availability of this temporary relief.  And that is in part because many local and state law enforcement officers are not fully aware of the legal requirements governing this relief. My amendment is intended to help fill this information gap by providing the informational resources to local law enforcement who will be able in turn to share that information with the victims.

“On March 20, the Homeland Security Committee, of which I am a Senior Member, held a field hearing in my home city of Houston on entitled ‘Combating Human Trafficking in Our Major Cities.’ It was a fitting venue because, regrettably, Houston is the human trafficking capital of the United States. At that field hearing, me and my Texas colleagues heard testimony from federal law officials about how just the day before, on March 19, they had discovered and rescued 115 people from a packed, rancid stash house on Almeda School Road in south Harris County.  Ninety-nine were men, 16 were women, one of whom was pregnant and 19 were juveniles. All of them had been kidnapped or smuggled into the United States.

“Who knows what those women and children may have faced had they not been rescued and the perpetrators caught? By helping them, we will catch more human trafficking criminals. And we help rescue and save children from becoming victims.”

Special Note: After the conclusion of her remarks Chairman Wolf said that Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee made a compelling case for the amendment and that is why he accepted and Ranking Member Fattah later stated that the Congresswoman’s words on her amendment were both powerful and moving and that the amendment should be accepted.

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