On Monday, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw called the immigration system "broken" as he announced the arrest of two undocumented immigrants who are accused of trafficking a 15-year-old girl into more than a dozen sex acts for money.
Bradshaw said the crimes involving undocumented suspects is an ongoing problem.
"They shouldn't be here. That's the sad part about this. The families are angry because they shouldn't be here to do this," said Bradshaw.
Region C Palm Beach County
2 arrested in 'commercial sex trafficking' of 15-year-old girl, PBSO says
During the presser, the sheriff touched on several recent cases.
In March, WPTV first told you about the alleged abduction and sexual battery of a woman by three undocumented Guatemalans.
Then in May, the sheriff says deputies arrested another undocumented Guatemalan for kidnapping and assaulting a child under 13 years old.
Also in May, deputies say a pregnant teenager was strangled and sexually abused by an undocumented Honduran.
Earlier this month, arrest records show three undocumented family members from Honduras are accused of molesting a five-year-old girl.
"I'm on the side of immigrants, but I'm not on the side of the Illegal stuff like this and the horrific stories that I hear in my office. It's heartbreaking," said Richard Hujber, an immigration attorney who has been practicing law for decades.
He is aware of the crimes deputies say are being committed and explained how at least two of the men arrested, who were once deported, could end up back in the states.
"Our criminal system doesn't punish, in my opinion, these kind of cases sufficiently... You deport them, they come back, and it's like a revolving door," said Hujber.
As the son of two immigrants from Hungary, Hujber shared how crimes committed by undocumented immigrants impact those who came here legally.
"[My parents] waited three four years to come here legally, went through all kinds of vetting and background checks before they passed, my parents look at this and they just can't believe that this is what's going on," he said.
