Trafficking Victim Issues Scathing Correction to Senator’s SOTU Response

(BrightPress.org) – Republican Senator Katie Britt of Alabama gave the Republican party response to President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address last week. During her response, Britt shared a graphic story of a young girl who had been trafficked and abused beginning at age 12. According to Britt, she personally spoke with the victim while traveling to the Del Rio sector of Texas in 2023. Britt used the story as a means to bring attention to the current border crisis allegedly caused by the Biden administration.

Unfortunately, the story Britt used as an example did not happen during Biden’s presidency, and many details were incorrect. Senator Britt’s office confirmed the story she recounted was the story of Karla Jacinto Romero. Romero’s tragic experience occurred during the administration of George W. Bush, and contrary to Britt’s version, Romero was never trafficked into the United States. According to Romero, she was exploited by a “pimp,” not by Mexican drug cartels.

Romero has openly shared her story and is an advocate for victims who “have no voice.” Romero was trafficked by a pimp after her mother threw her out of their home at 12 years old. Romero was trafficked to thousands of “clients” over the span of four years. Many of the clients traveled to Mexico for an illicit encounter with a minor.

Romero advocates for all trafficked and abused individuals, and wishes all political figures would have empathy for the millions of victims and children who “disappear.”

According to Romero, Britt could simply have stated the issues with the current border situation instead of using Romero’s experience to inaccurately highlight the current immigration policies. Romero claims she rarely deals with politicians because politicians tend to use her and her story for an “image” or a “photo” which isn’t fair.

When questioned by Fox News Sunday about her recounting of Romero’s story, Britt claims she never meant to give the impression that the events occurred during Biden’s administration.

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