Republican Senator Katie Britt has come under fire for misusing a sex trafficking story to condemn President Joe Biden’s border policy. During her rebuttal to Biden’s State of the Union address, Britt referenced a conversation she had with a woman who had survived sex trafficking by cartels at the Texas border. However, it was later revealed that the woman in question, Karla Jacinto Romero, had been sex trafficked in Mexico from 2004 to 2008. Britt’s attempt to present this anecdote as an example of Biden’s border management was met with criticism.
Britt visited the Del Rio area in January 2023 with Senators Marsha Blackburn and Cindy Hyde-Smith. During that trip, Jacinto Romero appeared at a press conference where she publicly shared her sex-trafficking story. She is an advocate for sex-trafficking victims and has testified before U.S. Congress, the Mexican House of Representatives, and the Vatican.
Journalist Jonathan Katz first exposed Britt’s presentation of Jacinto Romero’s experience in a TikTok video, leading to widespread online criticism. Political scientist Norman Ornstein called Britt an “out and out liar,” while Alabama columnist Kyle Whitmire criticized her for blaming Biden for an assault that happened 20 years ago.
In response to the backlash, Sean Ross, spokesperson for Senator Britt, did not deny that Jacinto Romero is the survivor in question but reiterated Britt’s story. He stated that while her story was correct, there are currently more innocent victims of sex trafficking by cartels than ever before.
While it is true that sex trafficking has occurred in the U.S. under the Biden administration, Jacinto Romero’s story does not serve as an example of it. According to a 2015 House document, she is now a happy and successful mother, wife, student, and international activist.
Senator Britt’s misuse of this sex trafficking story has raised concerns about her storytelling and the politicization of such a sensitive issue. Critics argue that she resorted to fear and confusion tactics, blaming Biden for an assault that took place years before he became president. The incident has further highlighted the ongoing debate surrounding immigration and border policies, as well as the importance of accurate and responsible communication from political figures.