So Julian Castro apparently supports legalizing human trafficking at the border

[Indygram]

Here is the text of what he wants to eliminate:

Section 1325 sets forth criminal offenses relating to (1) improper entry into the United States by an alien, (2) entry into marriage for the purpose of evading immigration laws, and (3)establishing a commercial enterprise for the purpose of evading immigration laws. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) amended 8 U.S.C. § 1325 to provide that an alien apprehended while entering or attempting to enter the United States at a time or place other than as designated by immigration officers shall be subject to a civil penalty.

It seems that it's not Beto who doesn't understand the law.

https://www.justice.gov/jm/criminal-resource-manual-1911-8-usc-1325-unlawful-entry-failure-depart-fleeing-immigration

[Hekate]

1. So you're cool with smearing Castro in this fashion

Good to know, Indygram.

[msongs]

2. beto didnt look so good tonight seems to be a popular conclusion nt

[cwydro]

8. Saw several talking heads say he got his ass kicked,

Not a good performance.

[Indygram]

3. Did he or did he not attack a fellow candidate for NOT supporting repealing section 1325?

If so, then Castro wants to repeal the thing that makes it illegal to traffic people. That's not a "smear" that is what he said he supports and then attacked Beto for NOT supporting. Many people on this site are cheering Castro on for his stance...and I think they should know what they are cheering on.

[pnwmom]

5. That is one single part of the bill, which could be included in a NEW bill after this one

is repealed, or included in an amended bill.

[jxla]

20. Section 1325 is not the thing that makes it illegal to traffic people

DHS - Human Trafficking Laws & Regulations

https://www.dhs.gov/human-trafficking-laws-regulations

Human Trafficking Laws & Regulations
Below are human trafficking laws and regulations.

U.S. Code, Title 22, Chapter 78 - Trafficking Victims Protection

The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Prevention Act (TVPA). TVPA combats trafficking in persons, especially into the sex trade, slavery, and involuntary servitude. It has been reauthorized three times since its initial passage:

TVPRA (2003) (PDF, 13 pages - 54 KB)
TVPRA (2005) (PDF, 17 pages - 86 KB)
TVPRA (2008) (PDF, 49 pages - 275 KB)
The Customs and Facilitations and Trade Enforcement Reauthorization Act of 2009. Sections 307 and 308 of the Act amend the original Tariff Act of 1930 to include provisions to prohibit the importation of goods to the United States made by benefit of human trafficking or forced labor.

Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. Section 7202 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act established the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center to achieve greater integration and overall effectiveness in the U.S. government's enforcement and other response efforts, and to work with foreign governments to address the separate but related issues of alien smuggling, trafficking in persons, and criminal support of clandestine terrorist travel.

PROTECT Act of 2003 (PDF, 47 pages - 279 KB). The PROTECT Act (Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children Today) intends to protect children from abuse and sexual exploitation, a common element of child human trafficking.

Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 (CAFRA) (PDF, 24 pages - 158 KB). The Department fights human smuggling and trafficking through the issuance of CAFRA, which provides notice to property owners whose properties have been identified as being used to facilitate smuggling or harboring aliens; it is an important tool because many employers turn a blind eye to the facilitation of criminal activity on their properties.

The Mann Act of 1910. The Mann Act and its subsequent amendment resolutions makes it a felony to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, or coerce an individual to travel across state lines to engage in prostitution or attempts to do so. It is an effective tool used to prosecute human traffickers.

Last Published Date: April 19, 2017

[pnwmom]

4. Apparently you're okay with not checking the facts before you accuse him

of something like that.

He is NOT supporting human trafficking. You have offered an incorrect interpretation of that law.

https://www.vox.com/2019/6/26/18760665/1325-immigration-castro-democratic-debate

Under the Castro proposal, the only plan any candidate has put out that fleshes out the idea, family separation wouldn’t be possible because criminal prosecution wouldn’t be possible.

Under that plan, an immigrant crossing into the US without papers, whether he was seeking asylum in the US or coming for some other reason, would not be committing a federal crime. If caught by Border Patrol agents, she’d be detained for a brief amount of time, but if she didn’t raise any red flags, she’d be released into the US (with a case management system to check up on her whereabouts) pending an immigration hearing. If she didn’t qualify for some form of legal status like asylum, she’d still ultimately be ordered deported from the US.

Proposing that illegal entry no longer be a federal crime is the policy equivalent of the “no human is illegal” slogan — a way to combat hawkish attitudes toward the “rule of law” by challenging the idea that migration ought to be a matter of crime and punishment to begin with. But it’s also a key justification for reversing the past few decades of border crackdown, by unpinning immigration enforcement — at least when it comes to unauthorized immigrants themselves — from crime.

[Bettie]

13. Exactly right

how people conflate this with "he wants human trafficking!" just makes me wonder what is wrong with them.

[riversedge]

18. Thanks

[zaj]

6. Be careful how you speak...

Many times an act is illegal from several sections of law, so repealing one section world not necessarily make the act legal.

Obviously I'm this case Castro was speaking of decriminalizing people willingly everything the US. Human trafficking of unwilling people could still be illegal.

[BannonsLiver]

7. Beto had a bad night but no reason to take it out on Castro

Not a good look the way this is framed, either.

[Eric J in MN]

9. Civil law instead of criminal law

...would be used to address illegal border crossings, if Julián Castro has his way.

[Tipperary]

10. Of course he doesn't.

Wow, your candidate flopped badly, so you attack another?

[Cicada]

11. Other laws besides this one make trafficking illegal

So we can repeal sect 1325 while still outlawing trafficking through other statutes which are not being repealed.

[Demsrule86]

12. This is wrong...attacking another candidate with what you know is not true...

horrible unfair accusation. You should delete.

[Bucky]

14. That feels like a distortion

[SouthernProgressive]

15. This is a horrible and deceptive way to attack Castro.

It would be a major step forward if these crossings were a civil offense. I hate seeing good ideas being smacked around because of a cult of personality.

[liskddksil]

16. Castro's policy is a general-election disaster in waiting.

If Dems want to be tagged as the open-borders party than by all means proceed.

[Turin_C3PO]

17. Thankfully

our candidates don’t base their policies around what Republican bigots are going to say.

[liskddksil]

19. Listen to Claire McCaskill who says Beto's plan could actually get 60 votes

Castro's would not.