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 and trafficking rings introduce 

numerous violent criminals to neighborhoods and communities in the United States; 

Whereas human smuggling and trafficking rings expose the 

United States to further acts of terrorism by subverting 

the authority of, and safety provided by, 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 trafficked 

against their will, continuing the grotesque practice of 

human slavery; 

Whereas human smuggling and trafficking in persons are 

often conducted by organized crime rings, which expose 

Federal agents to increased danger in their enforcement 

efforts; 
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Whereas Department of Homeland Security personnel have, 

in the past, arrested many human smugglers and traffickers in persons, only to see them freed without prosecution; 

Whereas many of these same human smugglers and traffickers in persons have been repeatedly arrested; 

Whereas such repeated encounters have been extremely demoralizing to U.S. Customs and Border Protection at a 

time when the American public has been putting tremendous pressure on the agencies to do more to stop illegal 

border crossings; 

Whereas Federal prosecutions of human smugglers and traffickers in persons have increased in recent months, resulting in decreased repeat offenses and arrests and improved 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 
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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 Department of Homeland Security, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in combating 

human smuggling and trafficking in persons; 

(2) commends the Department of Justice for increasing the rate of prosecutions against human smugglers and traffickers in persons; and 

(3) urges the Department of Justice to continue 

prosecuting smugglers and traffickers at a rate that will 

help eliminate the trade in human beings. 

Attest: 

Clerk.