The arrest of Venezuelan national Cesar David Martinez-Gonzalez in Pennsylvania has exposed the horrifying consequences of the Biden administration’s lax border policies. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to smuggling dozens of migrants into the U.S. and forcing them into labor under conditions likened to “new age slavery.”

According to the Department of Justice, Gonzalez orchestrated a human trafficking operation that targeted vulnerable migrants, including a group of four Venezuelans and one Colombian who crossed the Rio Grande in 2022. He used coyotes to guide them to the U.S.-Mexico border, charging $800 per adult for transport. Once in the U.S., Gonzalez manipulated the migrants into debt bondage, demanding they repay inflated fees for housing and transportation.

Authorities revealed Gonzalez worked with staffing agencies to place the migrants in low-wage jobs and provided them with falsified identification documents. The migrants were charged for living in homes Gonzalez controlled, with about half of their weekly wages confiscated to pay off their “debts.”

Experts argue that Biden’s border policies, including catch-and-release and programs like the Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV), have created conditions ripe for trafficking. Art Arthur, a former immigration judge, described these policies as “amazingly vulnerable to trafficking,” adding, “This is modern-day slavery in the United States.”

Trafficking victims like those exploited by Gonzalez may qualify for T Visas, which allow them to remain in the U.S. for up to four years, with eligibility to apply for permanent residency. Critics argue this incentivizes illegal immigration and exacerbates trafficking risks.

President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Tom Homan, his former Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to lead border enforcement. Homan is expected to implement stricter policies to deter illegal immigration and combat trafficking networks. Experts recommend detaining border crossers until their asylum claims are verified and ending programs like CHNV, which they say enable exploitation.

With Gonzalez facing up to 120 years in prison, his case underscores the urgent need for policy changes to protect vulnerable migrants and address the human cost of an open border.