Tag: human trafficking

Illegal Alien Harbored in Chicago by Far-Left Gov. Pritzker Indicted for Running Human and Sex-Trafficking Ring in Ohio

A Chinese illegal alien living in Chicago under Democrat Governor J.B. Pritzker’s sanctuary policies has been indicted for running a human and sex-trafficking ring across state lines.

A Marion County Grand Jury in Ohio has indicted Xiaoping Peng, 53, of Chicago, Illinois, on a list of serious felony charges tied to a prostitution and trafficking enterprise that operated out of a so-called “Chinese Spa” located at 1288 Delaware Avenue in Marion, Ohio, according to Marion County Now.

According to the news outlet citing authorities, Peng entered the United States illegally during the Biden administration and managed to remain in Chicago after filing an asylum claim—a loophole frequently exploited under the administration’s open-border policies.

Officials say Peng acted as a courier and recruiter, transporting female victims across state lines and collecting proceeds tied to sexual exploitation. The investigation uncovered that the operation trafficked women from Illinois to Ohio between March 6 and June 17, 2025.

When Marion police raided the spa, they discovered evidence of ongoing forced prostitution and human exploitation, including communications and financial trails linking Peng to multiple states.

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U.S. helps capture baby trafficking cartel leader ‘La Diabla’

U.S. officials said they helped arrest a Mexican cartel ringleader known as “La Diabla,” who was accused of running a baby trafficking and organ-harvesting scheme that left pregnant women dead and their newborns sold off for big bucks.

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Wednesday that authorities arrested Martha Alicia Mendez Aguilar, a member of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, during a joint operation with Mexican police earlier this month in Juarez, Mexico.

The ODNI said La Diabla lured pregnant, often impoverished women to remote locations before forcing them to go through with the illegal cesarean sections.

The infant would fetch roughly $13,500 on the black market, officials said, while the mother, who was usually killed during the procedure, had her organs removed to be sold as well.

“This is one example of what terrorist cartels will do to diversify their revenue streams and finance operations,” said Joe Kent, the ODNI’s director of its National Counterterrorism Center.

He said U.S. intelligence tracked down La Diabla and helped Mexican and American authorities carry out the Sept. 2 arrest of the ringleader.

“I am proud of our team’s ability to work with our forward deployed U.S. partners and Mexican law enforcement to stop these horrific acts,” Mr. Kent said. “NCTC remains committed to disrupting all aspects of terrorist cartels and their operations. And in this case, the lives of innocent women and children depended on it.”

Ms. Mendez Aguilar’s arrest was aided by President Trump’s designation of Mexican cartels as “foreign terrorist organizations.”

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Tom Homan: 28,000 of Biden’s 300,000 Missing Trafficked Children Located – “The Last Administration Wasn’t Even Looking for Them”

Border Czar Tom Homan on Friday said that the Trump Administration has located 28,000 of the 300,000 children that the Biden Administration lost track of at the border and left with unvetted individuals to be exploited. 

“The last administration wasn’t even looking for them,” he said.

As The Gateway Pundit reported, investigative reporter Breanna Morello revealed in May that 300,000 children went missing during the Biden years.

Biden’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) gave fake addresses for the 300,000 missing children.

“Now it’s up to the Trump administration to find those kids,” Morello said.

It was later revealed in July that the Biden Administration had allocated $6 billion in funding and grants to NGOs through the Department of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services, among others, and the NGOs were handing unaccompanied minors at the border to “poorly-vetted sponsors.”

Ali Hopper, founder of GUARD Against Trafficking, testified in a House Homeland Security Committee hearing that there were “post-placement welfare checks,” which consisted of two phone calls. But if the sponsors didn’t answer, “the case was no longer followed up on.”

From August 2023 to January 2025, 65,000 calls went unanswered, Hopper said.

This corroborates Breanna Morello’s reporting that “the Biden administration didn’t seem to care when it came to verifying who they were handing these children off to.”

Homan said they’ve located 23,000 of these children, and that the administration is “not going to stop until we find every one of them or at least run every lead down on those 300,000 children.”

He also commented on the sanctuary cities, whose leaders are now facing potential criminal charges after ignoring a deadline set by the Department of Justice to comply with Homeland Security and ICE.

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$312 Billion in Chinese Money Laundering Networks Is Driving the Drug Crisis and Human Trafficking in the US

The Treasury Department has confirmed a national security and public safety disaster: Chinese money-laundering networks have pushed more than $312 billion in illicit transactions through U.S. financial institutions in recent years. 

That money financed Mexican drug cartels, enabled human traffickers, and supported organized criminal networks that have left tens of thousands of Americans dead from fentanyl overdoses and other cartel-driven violence.

According to FINCEN.gov, financial institutions filed 1,675 BSA reports in the dataset indicating suspicious activity potentially involving human trafficking or human smuggling.

FINCEN.gov also discovered funds potentially associated with healthcare fraud, elder abuse, and suspicious gaming activity.

What makes these Chinese Money Laundering Networks (CMLNs) especially dangerous is their coordination with Mexico’s most violent cartels, including the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation organizations. 

Mexico’s strict limits on U.S. dollar deposits force cartels to look abroad, while China’s own capital controls make moving money out of the country nearly impossible through legal channels. 

Criminals found the perfect solution: CMLNs convert cartel drug profits in dollars into Chinese renminbi and then cycle those funds back into the U.S. banking system. 

The cartels get clean money. China’s elites get access to American assets. And Americans pay the price in drug overdoses, gang violence, and financial corruption.

Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) documented 137,153 suspicious activity reports between 2020 and 2024 linked directly to CMLNs. 

These reports describe methods ranging from mirror transactions and trade-based laundering to the use of so-called “money mules.” 

Students, retirees, and homemakers with little or no income were recruited to make large deposits that far exceeded their financial profiles. This layering of ordinary citizens into billion-dollar schemes makes detection more difficult and gives cartels longer lifelines.

FinCEN also found $53.7 billion in suspicious real estate transactions, much of it in major cities where foreign buyers already distort housing markets. 

Another $766 million was tied to adult day-care centers in New York, which investigators believe could be linked to healthcare fraud, elder abuse, and even human trafficking. 

More than 1,600 cases pointed to human smuggling and trafficking operations, while another 108 cases were tied directly to elder abuse and Medicare fraud. 

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Grassley releases data showing Biden admin placed over 10K migrant children with unvetted sponsors

Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley on Monday released new data from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which confirmed his concern that the Biden administration placed over 10,000 migrant children with unvetted sponsors.

The Trump administration provided Grassley with the information as part of his oversight investigation and requests, which were largely ignored or stonewalled by the previous administration. 

The data found that HHS’ Office of Refugee Resettlement from January 2021 through January 2025 placed 11,488 unaccompanied migrant children with unvetted sponsors who were not their parents or legal guardians. During that same period, the department also declined to conduct home studies for over 79,000 migrant children under the age of 12, including in homes where a study was recommended.

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Most Illegals Have Some Connection to Gangs, Cartels, or Human Traffickers

Democrat lawmakers and the mainstream media often claim that less than half of the illegal immigrants currently in detention have criminal records, with some reports stating that 74% have no prior convictions. However, a criminal conviction is not required for deportation, as 100% of these individuals have already broken the law by entering or remaining in the country illegally.

Moreover, focusing solely on convictions ignores those with pending criminal charges, known affiliations with gangs or cartels, or those who were trafficked into the country. When these groups are included, the percentage of illegal immigrants with ties to criminal activity rises to nearly 80%.

Even if Democrats insist on using criminal record as the standard for deportation, a recent ICE operation, Operation Patriot, revealed that approximately 54% of the 1,461 individuals arrested had either criminal convictions or pending charges. This rate far exceeds that of the general U.S. adult population, where roughly one-third, about 70 to 100 million people, have some form of criminal record, including arrests without convictions.

Many illegal immigrants without pending charges are still arrested by ICE because the agency specifically targets individuals with known or suspected criminal backgrounds. For example, during the first 50 days of President Trump’s administration, 75% of ICE arrests involved individuals with either criminal convictions or pending charges. In lawful, warrant-based raids on homes and workplaces, everyone present is required to show identification and proof of citizenship.

It is during these checks that many are found to be in the country illegally and often identified as having gang affiliations. According to ICE data, well over half of all illegal immigrants have some form of connection to gangs, cartels, or human traffickers.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), 97% of those who entered the U.S. illegally did so via the U.S.-Mexico border, almost entirely through smuggling networks. U.S. Border Patrol officials have stated that “nobody crosses without paying the cartels,” confirming that illegal immigration is now fully monopolized by criminal organizations.

These smuggling operations are run by “coyotes” who operate directly under cartel control. As a result, nearly all illegal immigrants entering through the southern border have some level of connection to a drug cartel.

Migrants pay steep fees to cross the border, averaging $6,937 for Mexican nationals and between $7,000 and $10,000 for Central Americans. Using a conservative estimate of $6,500 per person, cartels likely earned over $13 billion from human smuggling in FY2023 alone, based on the 2.8 million illegal crossings reported that year. But smuggling is only the beginning of the exploitation many migrants face.

Research from San Diego State University found that 6% of undocumented Mexican immigrants were trafficked by smugglers during entry, while 28% were trafficked by employers after arrival, meaning more than one-third experienced trafficking either en route or once in the U.S.

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How Much Slavery Is in Cali? GOP Probe Aims to Find Out After ICE Raid Uncovers Child Labor Abuse

Republican leaders in the House are investigating an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid on two California cannabis farms from earlier this month after unaccompanied minors were discovered working as laborers there by federal agents.

The joint operation — carried out earlier this month by ICE and CBP officers — focused on two marijuana growing facilities.

California Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom originally commented on the raid and was heavily critical of the federal government. This led CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott to break the news to him that they found 10 juveniles, eight of whom were alone.

The Daily Caller News Foundation first obtained letters sent by House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio, to the Department of Homeland Security — and the Department of Health and Human Services — about a congressional investigation into the matter.

“The discovery of these juveniles at a marijuana facility, and in the presence of at least one dangerous illegal alien previously convicted of child molestation, highlights the continuing consequences of the Biden-Harris Administration’s open-border policies,” Jordan wrote.

Jordan was joined by Rep. Tom McClintock, a Republican from California, who is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement. Both lawmakers cited failures by the Biden administration as the reason for such negligence.

“The discovery of UACs [Unaccompanied Alien Children] at a California marijuana farm raises questions about [Office of Refugee Resettlement] ORR’s placement of UACs — particularly during the Biden-Harris Administration — and the sufficiency of sponsor vetting,” the lawmakers added. “Pursuant to the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee on the Judiciary is authorized to conduct oversight of federal immigration policy and procedures.”

The Judiciary Committee is requesting more information from DHS and HHS about where the minors are being held, their case history, family background, and other details. They also want a response by Aug. 7, the DNCF reported.

If that wasn’t bad enough, the president of Glass House of Farms — the company that owns and operates the raided marijuana sites — has a history of donating large sums to Democrats.

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Joe Biden’s Missing Migrant Children Scandal Gets Even Worse, Hotline Info Revealed

A hearing held this week by the House Committee on Homeland Security revealed that a hotline operated by the Biden-Harris administration to report concerns about unaccompanied migrant children failed to respond to 65,000 calls between August 2023 and January 2025.

The hearing focused on the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the current immigration system and their interaction with federal agencies.

Lawmakers examined how the Biden-Harris administration has managed the care and oversight of unaccompanied migrant minors.

One of the primary witnesses was Ali Hopper, the founder and president of GUARD Against Trafficking.

Hopper testified that criminal networks have exploited weaknesses within the immigration system, including both federal agencies and NGOs involved in the placement and monitoring of migrant children.

“These agencies have been hijacked by criminal networks,” Hopper told the committee.

She also described widespread mismanagement and lack of accountability across the system.

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Customs and Border Protection Raid Human Smuggling Hub in Los Angeles Linked to Iranian Terror Suspects

A massive human smuggling ring with Iranian terror ties was busted up by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), raising more concerns about potential terror sleeper cells in America as the Iran-Israel war continues.

The CBP revealed on Friday night that it had executed a federal search warrant at a human smuggling hub in Los Angeles tied to national security threats from Iran.

During the operation, two people were arrested thanks to a combined effort from the CBP’s Special Response Team, Border Patrol tactical units, and Air and Marine Operations.

CBP noted that seven Iranian nationals were arrested at the same address earlier in the week. These included ones on the FBI Terror Watchlist and associates of an Iranian human trafficking network.

The agency also said that the house has been repeatedly used to harbor illegal aliens linked to terrorism.

This news comes as the Trump Administration made a massive nationwide bust just a few days ago, which sent shockwaves across the Internet.

The Gateway Pundit previously reported that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Tuesday arrested 11 Iranian nationals found to be living in the country illegally, including individuals with suspected terrorist ties and significant criminal histories.

These individuals were apprehended from eight states, including Minnesota, Mississippi, Alabama, California, New York, Colorado, and Texas.

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Judge Rules MS-13 Gang Member Kilmar Abrego Garcia Should NOT be Detained on His Criminal Charges of Child Trafficking – DOJ Appeals

Federal magistrate judge Barbara Holmes on Sunday ruled MS-13 gang member and wife beater Kilmar Abrego Garcia should not be detained on his criminal charges.

Abrego Garcia will likely remain in custody on an ICE detainer.

“As required by the Bail Reform Act, the Court has reviewed the evidence presented at the June 13 hearing and considered the parties’ arguments and the Pretrial Services report. For the reasons detailed below, the government’s motion for detention is DENIED. Specifically, the Court finds that no detention hearing is authorized under the Bail Reform Act in this case because the government failed to prove that this case involves: (1) a minor victim within the meaning of § 3142(f)(1)(E); (2) a “serious risk” that Abrego will flee, as required by § 3142(f)(2)(A); or, (3) a “serious risk” that Abrego will obstruct justice or otherwise interfere with the integrity of this proceeding, as required by § 3142(f)(2)(B),” the judge wrote in a 51-page memo.

Earlier this month Kilmar Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty to human trafficking charges as and fought for his release pending trial.

Abrego Garcia appeared in a Nashville court clad in a red jumpsuit.

A federal grand jury in Tennessee recently indicted Kilmar Abrego Garcia for “transporting undocumented migrants within the United States.”

He was charged with one count of conspiracy to transport aliens and one count of unlawful transportation of undocumented aliens.

According to the indictment, Kilmar Abrego Garcia and co-conspirators from El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico and the US were trafficking illegal aliens from 2016 through 2025.

Read the indictment here.

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