Ted Poe: “Modern-day slavery is alive in America. When Maria was 16, she was lured from Mexico to Houston by a man who promised…”

“Modern-day slavery is alive in America. When Maria was 16, she was lured from Mexico to Houston by a man who promised her a better life. When she arrived in Texas, she learned this scoundrel was in the slavery business. The slave master immediately put Maria up for sale. Now she was a sex slave, a victim of child human trafficking. Here's what she said she was forced to do: Every day, 6 to 7 days a week, I'd have sex with seven to 10 men a night during the week, and on the weekends, 20 to 30 men a night. Tortured and abused, the slave trader threatened her so she was too scared to run away, but she defied her captor and called for help. Law enforcement came to her aid and rescued her. The trafficker was convicted and sent to prison where we house these deviant international slave traders. Now it's time to prosecute the customers as well. Meanwhile, we have a duty to help and care for the victims of child sex slavery like Maria. And that's just the way it is. ____________________”