HRES 14 IH111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 14
Recognizing the importance of the Border Patrol in combating human smuggling and commending the Department of Justice for increasing the rate of human smuggler prosecutions.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 6, 2009
Mr. ISSA submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Homeland Security, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
RESOLUTION
Recognizing the importance of the Border Patrol in combating human smuggling and commending the Department of Justice for increasing the rate of human smuggler prosecutions.
Whereas human smuggling continuesEH
H. Res. 14
In the House of Representatives, U. S.,
May 7, 2009.
Whereas human smuggling and trafficking in persons continue to threaten the United States as well as individuals in transport;
Whereas human smuggling introducesand trafficking rings introduce numerous violent criminals to neighborhoods and communities in the United States;
Whereas human smuggling exposesand trafficking rings expose the United States to further acts of terrorism by subverting the authority of, and safety provided by United States Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement;
Whereas individuals voluntarily being smuggled are exposed to tragic and dangerous conditions, many times resulting in their injury or death;
Whereas countless individuals are abducted and smuggltrafficked against their will, continuing the grotesque practice of human slavery;
Whereas human smuggling isand trafficking in persons are often conducted by organized crime and exposesrings, which expose Federal agents to increased danger in their enforcement efforts;
Whereas United States Customs and Border Protection hasDepartment of Homeland Security personnel have, in the past, arrested many human smugglers and traffickers in persons, only to see them freed by the Federal Government without prosecution;
Whereas many of these same human smugglers arend traffickers in persons have been repeatedly arrested by United States Customs and Border Protection;
Whereas such repeated encounters arehave been extremely demoralizing to the Border Patrol inU.S. Customs and Border Protection at a time when the American public ishas been putting tremendous pressure on the Border Patrolagencies to do more to stop illegal border crossings;
andWhereas Federal prosecutions of human smugglers and traffickers in persons have increased in recent months, resulting in decreased repeat offenses and arrests and uplifted Border Patrol moraleimproved morale;
Whereas U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement uses a global enforcement strategy to disrupt and dismantle domestic and international human smuggling and trafficking organizations;
Whereas U.S. Customs and Border Protection have worked cooperatively with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and local nonprofit service providers to identify and rescue victims of human trafficking and modern slavery and to ensure their safety and continued presence in the United States pursuant to the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000; and
Whereas the 110th Congress of the United States unanimously adopted the bipartisan William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, providing U.S. Customs and Border Protection and its law enforcement partners with new tools to bring human traffickers to justice and new responsibilities to identify and protect victims of modern slavery and at-risk unaccompanied alien children: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) reaffirms its support for the role and importance of the Border PatrolDepartment of Homeland Security, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in combating human smuggling; and and trafficking in persons;
(2) commends the Department of Justice for increasing the rate of human smuggler prosecutions andprosecutions against human smugglers and traffickers in persons; and
(3) urges the Department of Justice to continue prosecuting human smugglsmugglers and traffickers at a rate that will help eliminate the scourge of human smugglingtrade in human beings.
Clerk.
U.S. Congress - Text of H.Res.14 as Engrossed in House Recognizing the importance of the Border Patrol in combating human smuggling and commen...
