Leger Fernández joins human trafficking training session

Congresswoman Theresa Leger Fernández joined law enforcement officers and others in a training session on identifying signs of human trafficking.

The first-term Democratic representative said her office was able to get a grant to host the sessions, conducted by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, in New Mexico this week. There was one session in Santa Fe on Tuesday and there will be one in Albuquerque on Thursday. About 70 police officers from several agencies and other professionals, such as teachers, who might benefit from the training were expected to attend.

“We invited law enforcement agencies that aren't in my district, like Albuquerque,” she said. “This is important for the state.”

New Mexico is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking, she said. The New Mexico Human Trafficking Task Force and the Attorney General Human Trafficking Unit identified more than 100 cases of trafficking in 2020, according to a news release from her office.

“Because of our large tribal population, we do have a very serious issue with missing and murdered Indigenous women,” Leger Fernández said. “And we know, in New Mexico, there are many vulnerable populations. So, I think it is important that our law enforcement, social services and educators are aware of the signs.”

Ryan Boetel: [email protected]