Six members of a human trafficking ring that moved Mexican women into the United States illegally and made them work as prostitutes, often after promising them jobs as housecleaners or baby sitters, have been arrested, state authorities said Thursday. Jose Romero-Flores, identified as the ringleader, operated three brothels in Lakewood with assistance from his girlfriend, Odulia Bedran Trejo, who helped him find women in Mexico and drove women and clients to and from the brothels, state prosecut... Read more

Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), prime author of the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA—Public Law 106-386) that, among its numerous provisions, helped create the New Jersey Human Trafficking Task Force, praised the arrests announced today of brothel owners and their associates who allegedly lured women into coming to the United States illegally with promises of jobs as house cleaners or babysitters, only to trap them in a life of suffering and despair in “high volume” prostitutio... Read more

Africa has been blessed with abundant natural resources, but too seldom have these resources benefitted the average African citizen. A hearing on efforts to examine strategies to better ensure that African governments use revenues that come from natural resources for the benefit of their people was held Thursday by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), Chairman of the House congressional panel that oversees Africa. The hearing, entitled “Is There an African Resource Curse?” featured NFL wide receiver... Read more

The U.S. State Department today testified on its new 2013 Trafficking in Persons Report before a hearing held by Rep. Chris Smith, chairman of the House subcommittee on global human rights. Ambassador-at-Large for Trafficking in Persons, Luis CdeBaca, the highest U.S. government official for trafficking issues, testified. Smith's landmark law, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 mandated the annual report and created the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons which... Read more

Helping low income veterans in Central New Jersey who are at risk of losing their homes is the aim of a $2 million federal grant that has been awarded to the veterans organization Soldier On, announced Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who helped bring Soldier On to New Jersey and is a longtime champion programs aimed at reducing homeless including and especially among vets. “Last year, we were successful in securing $1 million for a VA-Soldier On partnership that is already helping our veterans,... Read more

“It has been five long months since the House overwhelmingly passed my legislation to ensure that houses of worship are no longer discriminated against under Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) rules,” said Rep. Chris Smith, author of H.R. 592, the "Federal Disaster Assistance Nonprofit Fairness Act of 2013.” “When a bill passes the House by such a strong, bipartisan margin of 354-72, it is hoped that the Senate will work aggressively to send it to the President’s desk. The legislation is... Read more

Argentina should be suspended from the Group of 20 major economies over its blatant failure to comply with debt obligations to bond holders, including American firms that manage savings and investments for U.S. pension funds, charitable foundations, university endowments and U.S. taxpayers, said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04). The senior member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee announced a House resolution today that calls on the Argentine government to live up to its economic obligations. T... Read more

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSEC) Parliamentary Assembly today adopted U.S. Congressman Chris Smith’s (NJ-04) proposal to change how the transportation and hospitality industry works to identify and assist victims of human trafficking. Smith, a U.S. member of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and its Special Representative on Human Trafficking Issues, proposed the plan to increase global co-operation in the fight against modern day slavery. The vote comes just weeks af... Read more

By CARLOS AVILA Trentonian Staff - Isles Inc. and U.S. Rep. Chris Smith are teaming-up to help inner-city youth further their education. Smith (NJ-04) has helped Isles’ YouthBuild Institute secure a federal grant totaling $1,099,643. The money from the grant will help provide educational, vocational, and leadership skill training for at-risk youths over a 40-month period. The grant is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. To make the program more effective, Isles will partner with the College ... Read more

By Alyssa Mease/The Times of Trenton on June 28, 2013 at 8:20 AM -- Isles Inc., a group that tries to make the city more liveable and helps families improve their situations, was awarded more than $1 million from the U.S. Department of Labor to advance its program for helping high school dropouts develop construction skills. The money will go toward Isles’ YouthBuild Institute, which helps youths between the ages of 16 and 24 earn their GED or high school diploma while working in the constructio... Read more