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Lawmakers demand accountability in “cover-up” of migrant children’s welfare

The letter, signed by Congressman Dan Bishop, R-NC, and dozens of other lawmakers calls for an end to what the legislators describe as a "cover-up" related to the safety and welfare of thousands of vulnerable children who have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border.

CJ Staff
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Castle doctrine, human trafficking, habeas corpus split state Supreme Court

The North Carolina Supreme Court split along party lines Friday in a trio of cases involving the castle doctrine, human trafficking, and a court order used to challenge unlawful imprisonment. In each case, Republican justices outvoted their Democratic colleagues.

CJ Staff

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Advocacy group says NC scores better than most in fighting sex trafficking

A new report card from the nonprofit Shared Hope International gives North Carolina a “D” grade among the 50 states on preventing sex trafficking. But that ranking still puts the Tar Heel State at 16th best in the nation. North Carolina scored better than 32 other states that received an “F” grade. The top-performing states are Tennessee with an...

David N. Bass
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New law allows more trafficking victims to draw compensation

A provision in the N.C. Senate’s anti-human trafficking bill, recently passed and signed into law, allows more human trafficking victims to collect compensation under the Crime Victims Compensation Act. More provisions in the bill, including tighter penalties for rioting, go into effect later this year.

Grant Lefelar
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Senator touts N.C. budget’s measures to attack human trafficking

A state senator is drawing attention to the new N.C. state budget’s measures to fight human trafficking. The budget “provides a lifeline to victims” of trafficking, according to a news release from Sen. Ted Alexander, R-Cleveland. “Human trafficking is all too prevalent in North Carolina,” Alexander said. “We have the means to both combat this...

CJ Staff
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House Judiciary Committee approves anti-trafficking bill

A new bill to fight human trafficking has begun moving through House committees of the General Assembly. The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 13, unanimously approved House Bill 198, “Human Trafficking Commission Recommendations.” The bill’s primary sponsors are Reps. Ted Davis, R-New Hanover; Sarah Stevens, R-Wilkes; Steve Jarvis, R-Davidson; and Jerry Carter, R-Rockingham. The...

Kari Travis
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Anti-trafficking legislation would offer post-conviction relief to survivors

This isn’t Taken. Unlike the portrayals popularized by Liam Neeson’s 2008 film thriller, human trafficking victims are rarely snatched during vacation getaways or from coffee shops, and they are rarely sympathetic characters with squeaky clean backgrounds, Libby Coles, chairwoman of the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission, told Carolina Journal. This year, Coles and the trafficking...

Kari Travis
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Bill would help protect victims who are forced to help human traffickers

Victims of human trafficking can feel mistreated in the North Carolina justice system, facing charges for offenses they committed while under the influence of coercion and deception, state policymakers say. A new bill, which passed the N.C. General Assembly on June 15 and is awaiting Gov. Roy Cooper’s signature, could change that. Senate Bill 162,...

Kari Travis