Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes spoke on the final night of the Republican National Convention on Aug. 27, 2020.
Transcript
[foreign language], and good evening. I’m Utah Attorney General, Sean Reyes. I’m a proud American and proud descendant of warrior ancestors, women and men alike, from my Hawaiian, Filipino, Japanese, and Spanish heritage. My father demonstrated his warrior spirit over 50 years ago, fighting a dictator in his homeland, the Philippines. Barely escaping with his life, he started anew in America. He arrived with nothing, but faith, determination, and a willingness to work hard. He lived the American dream, building businesses, a family, and seeing me become Utah’s first minority statewide elected official.
Today, I channel my warrior roots by battling human trafficking. I’ve been able to lead some of the largest trafficking prosecutions in America, and traveled to foreign countries, working with law enforcement and NGOs to dismantle trafficking networks and rescue people from the most brutal conditions imaginable. Young girls and women sold into sex slavery. Young boys and men forced into labor servitude. Illegal adoptions, organ harvesting, human life utterly debased.
President Donald Trump is a fierce warrior against human trafficking. How do I know? Early in 2017, I had occasion to visit with him about our rescues. He asked insightful questions, expressed deep concern for victims. Overwhelmed with compassion, he promised to attack this evil. President Trump summoned Ivanka and leaders from his cabinet, directing resources and hundreds of millions of dollars for raising awareness, liberating victims, prosecuting predators, and empowering survivors. Together, they’ve done more to combat human trafficking than any administration in modern history. Now, that’s a promise kept.
President Trump’s taken similar, aggressive action to break the chains of drug addiction and improve mental and behavioral health. He declared the opioid epidemic, a national public health emergency and made available billions of dollars to confront this threat. He also signed a bill, creating a phone number like 911, but for mental health. When activated, 988 will be a lifeline for those struggling with thoughts of suicide, depression, addiction, self-harm, or even hurting others. It will save countless American lives.
A few months ago, my father, my warrior hero, lost his fight with cancer. When he passed, he had by his bedside, his scriptures, family photos, and a pen President Trump gave me to give him. Dad loved that pen. It represented freedom to him. The freedom that only exists when someone is willing to fight for it. To my father, President Trump is that ultimate warrior fighting for our freedom.
If you listen to Democrats, the media and liberal elite, they will tell you that America’s light doesn’t shine as brightly around the world as it once did. That is simply not true. The same light that brought my father to America, inspires the desperate and downtrodden equally today. Believe me. I interact with some of the most marginalized victims on earth and they love America. They love President Trump, because he’s fighting for their freedom and America’s freedom. Thank you, President Trump. God bless you, and God bless America, this land of greatness.
