Recent news reports of unaccompanied illegal alien minors being housed in a Chattanooga college dormitory – with no prior notification from the Biden Administration – has area citizens asking questions. One such question: who is paying the transportation and housing costs of busloads and planeloads of these children, who are apparently being exploited for political gain? Moreover, aren’t the transportation and housing vendors, who by definition are commercially gaining from providing their services, subject to Tennessee child trafficking laws?
On the surface, current Tennessee human trafficking laws would seem not to apply. Here is a relevant section of the Tennessee Code (TCA Title 39, Criminal Offenses § 39-13-314):
(1) “Human trafficking offense” means the commission of any act that constitutes the criminal offense of:
(A) Involuntary labor servitude, under § 39-13-307;
(B) Trafficking persons for forced labor or services, under § 39-13-308;
(C) Trafficking for commercial sex act, under § 39-13-309; or
(D) Promoting the prostitution of a minor, under § 39-13-512; and
(2) “Trafficked person” means a victim of a human trafficking offense.
However, the fact that the federal government failed to provide the required notice to state and local officials suggests that those responsible for this exploitive chain of events don’t want to be publicly called out. Why is that? If there is nothing to hide, why not be transparent about it?
There have been multiple reports for months, if not years, that many, if not most, unaccompanied children crossing our southern border have been sexually exploited at some point during their journey, often by drug cartels. Does the act have to occur in Tennessee for the human trafficking offense to be triggered? Would that place any of these vendors at risk of prosecution – having profited from transporting and housing the children – if even one case of sexual abuse or kidnapping is found? After all, the cartels are making money, the air charters are making money, the bus companies are making money and the housing facilities are making money. And the American taxpayer is footing the bill.
At the very least, we know busloads of unaccompanied illegal alien children have been transported into our state with no prior notice. How do state and local officials know these children are being properly treated? We have seen photos of children who have been packed like sardines into facilities in Texas built to handle just a fraction of their number. Are there language barriers that are preventing children who have been exploited sexually or kidnapped from reporting these crimes to state and local officials? These officials have a responsibility to find out, if only to clear themselves of responsibility if reports of criminal abuse surface later.
We have no reason to trust the words of those who have colluded with the Biden Administration in this subterfuge. State and local law enforcement have a duty to confirm these children have not been sexually exploited and are being properly cared for. Due diligence should require that each child be interviewed by competent investigators. And care should be taken by state authorities to reunite these children with their families in their home countries. It is standard practice for law enforcement to return American runaway children back to their parents or guardians. Why should we make exceptions and treat non-citizen children differently? DNA tests should be done to confirm parental relationships, with all testing and transportation expenses billed to the federal government.
And state legislators should be called into special session to redefine child trafficking to include cynically using unaccompanied children as a politically useful tool. This will enable the state to better deal with this crisis that will further strain our state health, human services and education systems – systems which were designed for Tennessee citizens, not no-notice transplanted illegal aliens or refugees.
Brendan Jennings
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Looks like the city mayor isn't concerned in the slightest about mass migrants being shipped to Chattanooga without anyone being told.
Chris Braly
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I am writing to respond to your article, “Calling Out Child Trafficking For Commercial Gain - And Response” Thank you for taking the time to delve into the issue. I can sense your concern for victims of trafficking. Considering your position with the Chattanooga Tea Party, I am sure you have gained much knowledge and experience with advocacy. I am responding to refute a few points you brought up and bring some awareness to the issue of trafficking.
Child trafficking is an important and complex issue. However, your editorial provided no evidence of such a crime. You mentioned the President Biden administration deceptively pushing for this agenda with no notification to local officials. However, this operation was authorized under the Trump administration and was covered very well in multiple news articles.
Unfortunately, spreading disinformation goes beyond creating misconceptions- it harms actual victims. First, conspiracies and false extremist information distract from more disturbing but simple realities of how trafficking truly occurs today. This misinformation creates a false narrative that masks ways to help victims. These misconceptions also amplify calls to trafficking hotlines. The time spent responding to fake claims of trafficking that flood hotlines have shown to deter help and services away from actual trafficking cases. Lastly, this disinformation also serves as a gateway to radical beliefs and acts of violence. Simply put, conspiracies about child trafficking get in the way of real efforts to fight human trafficking.
Hannah McNelly
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Does Brendon Jennings really care? Or are you just trying to deflect attention away from the fact many of those migrant children separated from their parents under Trump, some forcibly so, some as young as seven years of age and younger were allegedly sexually abused by detention officers?
The Honduran father, and one time business owner in Honduras, forced to flee the country with his seven-year-old daughter in 2018, only to have her taken away at the detention they were processed, then he was moved thousands of miles away to another facility? The father only learned later when he and his daughter were reunited that she'd allegedly been sexually abused by a detention officer. She also claimed to have witnessed other children, younger than her, also being sexually abused? Where was your voice of concern then? That father's concern now is that detention officer who allegedly sexually abused his daughter and possibly other children, some younger, is still operating as a detention officer, but even he was not the Lone Ranger. Where there's one, there's always many. He said his daughter is not the same daughter taken away from him at that detention center in 2018, and likely never will be.
The fact remains, those children you claim to be so concerned about were separated from their parents under Trump 'n gang policies. Your attempts to deflect away from that fact only show both your desperation and hypocrisy to transfer blame.
President Biden is doing all he can to correct the wrongs created under those policies Trump and his minions put into practice. Their base followers will continue to follow the lies and deceit. There's very little to no hope at all for those types. They're of the same mind that fell for the Pizzagate conspiracy and the Sandy Hook massacre was a hoax. But thinking people who think for themselves know better. They will search for truth and facts.
Brenda Washington
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Does Brenda Washington really care? Does Hannah McNelly really care? I don't think so. All they care for is blaming Tea Party and Trump. Care about migrant children? Not a chance. They're just happy to point fingers at the other side.
Just like the Obama administration, the Biden Administration has illegally opened up the southern border. Due to this illegal operation, migrant children separated from their parents have been transported to Tennessee in the dead of night without telling any Tennessee government officials. Are they hiding something? Red flag? You bet. That's not fake. Biden did that...not Trump.
My consensus from Brenda's and Hannah's diatribes is they missed the news about the Baptiste Group having their license revoked at the TN Temple dorm, due in part because two employees are being charged with inappropriate contact with children at that facility. Hannah says it's fake or Brenda points to some long past example to "prove" this current event is all Trump's fault. Give us a break. Please.
News to Brenda and Hannah...Trump is not the President anymore and Biden has already unhooked most all the good Trump has or had done. This is Biden's mess, pure and simple.
Again, Biden is the President now, not Trump. Biden has opened the southern border to all who can cross and the finger points at him. There are consequences to this action and some of that is happening in our back yard. Tell the Chattanooga mayor.
Phil Snider