Houston major hub for human trafficking

Houston Chronicle ^ | Oct. 28, 2007 | SUSAN CARROLL

[SwinneySwitch]

Large ring kept up to 120 women in virtual slavery

The picture, with its implicit threat, was all it took.

It was taken just before Christmas 2004. She had been thinking about running away from the windowless bar on Houston's northwest side, where he kept her and other women, forcing some of them into prostitution while they paid off their "debts."

But Maximino "Chimino" Mondragon knew of her plans.

Carrying a camera and Christmas presents for the woman's daughter, he had appeared unannounced at her family's home in El Salvador. The woman, who was not identified by authorities, told investigators that Mondragon had talked his way into the home by saying the gifts were from her.

"By the way," Mondragon reportedly asked her parents, "would you mind taking a photo of me with the little girl?"

There were no more plans of escaping.

With similar threats, Mondragon and a network of family members and associates operated one of the largest human trafficking rings in U.S. history in which as many as 120 women were held captive and coerced to work off their smuggling debts. Some of the women were raped and forced to have abortions.

Mondragon's operation collapsed in November 2005 when the women were freed and he and seven other defendants from El Salvador and Honduras were arrested on federal human trafficking charges.

All eight defendants in the case have pleaded guilty in Houston courtrooms, but only one woman — a Honduran accused of providing the abortions — has been sentenced. The remaining sentencings are scheduled for this winter.

Houston a trafficking hub

The Mondragon case underscores the need to raise awareness about human trafficking, which still largely operates "under the radar" despite major efforts to combat the crime in recent years, said Ed Gallagher, the deputy chief....

[SwinneySwitch]

HOW YOU CAN HELP

If you think you've identified a victim of human trafficking, call 911 or the national Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. For information locally, contact the Houston Rescue and Restore Coalition at 713-306-0583. Here are some questions to ask a suspected trafficking victim:

• What type of work do you do?

• Are you being paid?

• Can you leave your job if you want to?

• Can you come and go as you please?

• Have you or has your family been threatened?

• What are your working conditions like?

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

[SwinneySwitch]

Ping!

If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.

[Diogenesis]

A few more POS eligible for Amnesty.

[Tall_Texan]

Another heartwarming tale of Pro-Choice America. Planned Parenthood would be proud.

[samadams2000]

It think its fair to say Houston is another American city lost to Liberalism.

[SwinneySwitch]

I believe those POS are already citizens, Diogenesis.

[hometoroost]

The American taxpayer might qualify based on that list of questions. Uncle Sam has us and he won't let go.

So much for illegal immigration being another "victimless" crime.

[Thud]

Texas ping

[Diogenesis]

I must have dozed off when El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras achieved statehood.

[SwinneySwitch]

I thought you were referring to POS in the pictures!:^)

[angkor]

These women are also forced into prostitution to service the marijuana cultivation crews of California and Texas (wasn’t there a huge pot field discovered in SW Houston about 6 months ago?).

And who’s surprised. Someone’s gotta care for that 8,000 TON, $12 BILLION outdoor crop of CA and even the smaller 60 TON, $200 MILLION outdoor crop of Texas.

[Calpernia]

Bump thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/1472612/posts
Sex Tourism: Addressing the Demand for Trafficking

[FreePaul]

Apparently being a sanctuary city doesn’t benefit everyone. Oh well, as long as they are contributing to the economy and provide cheap labor we can look the other way.

[dennisw]

Under the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, victims who cooperate with authorities on trafficking cases are permitted to stay in the U.S. legally, at least temporarily while the case moves through the court system. Some victims meet the qualifications for a “T-visa,” a trafficking visa, which also offers a path toward legal residency. The rules are slightly different for children and teens, who are sometimes too vulnerable to be compelled to testify.
______________________

These whores get rewarded. They get to stay here. They win the ho-lottery. Bet they’ll suck up lots of free medical

IOW crazy foreigners create another mess on US soil and the taxpayer gets stuck with the bill

[weegee]

Put up a couple more red light cameras in the suburbs. That’ll fix the problem.

[Eaker]

Just more of those family values not left at the border that Jorge told us about.

[Don W]

I have no dog in this fight, but I think you’re in a losing battle with the way laws are. IF a suspected “human slave” is reported to the authorities, guess who (if caught) is deported?

The importer, pimp and enforcer are all ignored.

I’ve seen it all happen in the little town of Woodburn Oregon.

Laws and lawyers make me sick.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

[IronKros]

These whores get rewarded. They get to stay here. They win the ho-lottery. Bet they’ll suck up lots of free medical IOW crazy foreigners create another mess on US soil and the taxpayer gets stuck with the bill

So they go from being an illegal immigrant to a sex slave in the 4th largest city in the United States... yeah, I'd not call them a whore. They were wrong in coming here illegally, but that does not excuse the fact that they were kidnapped and forced into slavery. The slavery happened on US shores... I say we offer them citizenship to get those people behind bars.

[-=SoylentSquirrel=-]