Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Reviews Actions to Combat Human Trafficking

Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Reviews Actions to Combat Human Trafficking | The White HouseSkip to contentThe White HouseThe White House The White House Home AdministrationThe RecordBriefing RoomVisitEspañol InstagramOpens in a new windowFacebookOpens in a new windowXOpens in a new windowYouTubeOpens in a new windowLinkedInOpens in a new windowThreadsOpens in a new windowRedditOpens in a new windowSnapchatOpens in a new window Contact UsPrivacy PolicyCopyright PolicyAccessibility Statement MenuCloseTo search this site, enter a search termSearchMobile Menu OverlayAdministrationShow submenu for “Administration””President Joe BidenVice President Kamala HarrisFirst Lady Dr. Jill BidenSecond Gentleman Douglas EmhoffThe CabinetExecutive OfficesShow submenu for “Executive Offices””Council of Economic AdvisersCouncil on Environmental QualityDomestic Policy CouncilGender Policy CouncilNational Economic CouncilNational Security CouncilNational Space CouncilOffice of Intergovernmental AffairsOffice of Management and BudgetOffice of the National Cyber DirectorOffice of National Drug Control PolicyOffice of Public EngagementOffice of Science and Technology PolicyOffice of the United States Trade RepresentativeClimate Policy OfficePresidential Personnel OfficeThe RecordBriefing RoomThe White HouseShow submenu for “The White House””PresidentsFirst FamiliesThe GroundsOur GovernmentGet InvolvedShow submenu for “Get Involved””Write or Call The White HouseJoin UsWhite House FellowsWhite House Internship ProgramVisitEspañol Contact UsPrivacy PolicyCopyright PolicyAccessibility Statement InstagramOpens in a new windowFacebookOpens in a new windowXOpens in a new windowYouTubeOpens in a new windowLinkedInOpens in a new windowThreadsOpens in a new windowRedditOpens in a new windowSnapchatOpens in a new window The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500 To search this site, enter a search termSearchJanuary 17, 2025 Fact Sheet: Biden-⁠Harris Administration Reviews Actions to Combat Human Trafficking Home Briefing Room Statements and Releases The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to eradicating human trafficking, often referred to in U.S. law as “trafficking in persons,” in all its forms. Human trafficking, a crime of exploiting a person for compelled labor, services, or commercial sex act(s), has no place in a society that values freedom and the rule of law. Nonetheless, it exists in every region of the United States and around the world. Human trafficking poses a grave danger to individual well-being, public health, public safety, national security, economic development, and prosperity.In order to combat this threat, in December 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration announced an updated version of the National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking. The National Action Plan focused on the foundational pillars of the U.S. and global anti-trafficking efforts—prevention, protection, prosecution, and partnership—and committed agencies to implement various measures designed in furtherance of the same. Three years of concerted and coordinated efforts have produced significant results across the federal government, some of which are highlighted here. This Fact Sheet highlights some of the major accomplishments by agencies over the last three years. For more information on National Action Plan implementation efforts, please see the prior White House Fact Sheets from 2022, 2023, and 2024. There is still much work to do to stem the tide of this threat, and the federal government and its departments and agencies must remain vigilant to protect the most vulnerable, bring perpetrators to justice, empower survivors, and address the systemic inequities exacerbating the threat of human trafficking.PREVENTIONDepartments and agencies committed to educating government personnel, the public, and vulnerable communities on recognizing and reporting human trafficking, with the goal of raising awareness to prevent targeting of the most vulnerable among us.In 2024, the Department of Transportation (DOT) launched the bilingual Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign to educate and empower travelers and employees across all modes of transportation to recognize and report suspected instances of human trafficking. The campaign’s “Combating Human Trafficking in the Transportation Sector Awareness Training” underscored the intersection of human trafficking and transportation, provided indicators of human trafficking, and included reporting guidance. DOT provided signage for vulnerable populations and mode-specific posters, pocket cards, visor cards, and graphics tailored for use in airplanes and airports, buses and bus stations, trains and rail stations, rest areas and travel centers, and ports. DOT also compiled a compendium of human trafficking awareness laws, intended to guide transportation organizations in their implementation of awareness campaigns. In a parallel effort, in 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) developed a human trafficking awareness tutorial with Lyft, Inc., for more than one million ride-share drivers.Over the past three years, departments and agencies focused on creating educational resources about this threat, to include:The Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG), consisting of senior officials from across U.S. government agencies, Public Awareness & Outreach Committee published several resources, including (1) the Guide for Introductory-Level Human Trafficking Awareness Training, a resource for federal law enforcement and service provider agencies developing workforce human trafficking training; and (2) the inventory of Federal Anti-Trafficking Resources, which includes awareness campaigns, toolkits, and programs, and evaluations on its effectiveness.In 2024, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) published the National Human Trafficking Framework, describing eight strategies on the best available evidence to prevent human trafficking, which was viewed by more than 10,000 individuals. HHS launched new funding for local education agencies, which provided human trafficking prevention education to 81,500 students and 22,600 school staff across more than 1,700 schools; reached more than 30 million people through the HHS Look Beneath the Surface public awareness campaign; educated nearly 288,000 health and human service providers through the SOAR to Health and Wellness trainings on human trafficking; and developed a suite of new resources to enhance the child welfare response to human trafficking.In 2023, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) added a human trafficking section to its Youth@Work Webpage, to help young workers, employers, educators, and parents identify signs of human trafficking and understand human trafficking laws. New content included tips for staying safe in the workplace, examples of human trafficking lawsuits, and victim resource links.In 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD) Combating Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) Office released a Student Guide to Preventing Human Trafficking for military-connected students to learn more about human trafficking. The Guide and a companion Parent Guide were published on the CTIP Website.Departments and agencies also worked on procurement and supply chain efforts, to include:The SPOG’s Procurement & Supply Chains Committee established annual public outreach sessions to engage contracting companies, NGOs, international partners, and others on the anti-trafficking requirements for federal procurement.In 2024, the Office of Management and Budget required that federal acquisition personnel complete a Combating Trafficking in Persons course. Over 82,000 federal acquisition employees were trained on human trafficking issues. In 2024, the Department of State’s (State) Trafficking in Person’s Office (TIP Office) conducted a major revamp of the Responsible Sourcing Tool. The Tool provides risk management resources specific to various industries to understand, detect, and address forced labor in global supply chains.The Department of Labor (DOL) produced and maintained a List of Goods Produced with Child Labor or Forced Labor. The September 2024 list includes a record 72 new items across numerous sectors and countries. DOL also funded two $4 million projects to increase tracing of goods made by child and forced labor.The Department of Commerce’s (DOC) International Trade Administration (ITA) deployed two training courses to help employees and industry partners identify and prevent forced labor in supply chains, including “Human Trafficking: Forced Labor in Global Supply Chains” which educates on the laws, regulations, and red flags related to goods made with forced labor entering the United States. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) led efforts on human trafficking in maritime supply chains, including: (a) In 2022, NOAA launched Collaborative Accelerator for Lawful Maritime Conditions in Seafood (CALM-CS), which included more than 120 experts from across the supply chain, agencies, NGOs, and researchers. CALM-CS collaborated to identify priorities for addressing forced labor in the global seafood supply chain, developed due diligence guidance for retailers, conducted outreach campaigns targeting fishers at risk for forced labor, and promoted tools to support ethical recruitment of crew; (b) In its 2023 congressional report on countries and entities engaging in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, NOAA identified  the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan as reliant on forced labor and oppressive child labor; and (c) In 2024, NOAA led the U.S. delegation to the Joint Working Group (JWG) of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Labor Organization, and the International Maritime Organization on IUU Fishing and related matters. The JWG recommended development of labor-related guidelines.The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) worked with trading partners to eliminate forced labor in supply chains globally, including: (a) In 2024, USTR, DOL and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilitated three trilateral sessions of the United States, Mexico, and Canada to enforce the countries’ forced labor import bans; (b) USTR encouraged trading partners to adopt forced labor import bans, including Taiwan and Kenya; and (c) USTR and DHS shared information on enforcement of forced labor imports with trading partners, including Kenya, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.DHS chaired the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force (FLETF) consisting of multiple government agencies. FLETF expanded the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act (UFLPA) Entity List (of entities producing goods in violation of UFLPA), to prohibit more than 100 entities’ goods from entering the United States. FLETF also identified new high priority sectors for enforcement—aluminum, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and seafood—for the first time since 2022.PROTECTIONDepartments and agencies increased use of victim-centered and trauma-informed strategies and training in order to increase victim identification and referral to services, and to encourage and increase, where appropriate, participation in law enforcement investigations and prosecutions.  Between 2021-2024, HHS responded to more than 43,000 potential trafficking situations reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline and supported more than 20,000 survivors of trafficking with benefits and comprehensive case management services. Between 2021-2023, Federally Qualified Health Centers served more than 5,750 patients with concerns of human trafficking across 10,700 clinical visits.DOJ’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) made over 450 distinct awards totaling over $350 million to fund direct services (e.g., housing, health care, legal aid) for trafficking survivors. Such funding also supported multidisciplinary task forces; training and technical assistance; capacity-building for organizations in underserved communities; and states’ child and youth trafficking coordination and prevention efforts. In 2023-2024, OVC encouraged its grantees to expand specialized services for labor trafficking victims.In 2023-2024, DOL published two rules aimed to protect migrant and seasonal workers, including the Wagner-Peyser Act Staffing final rule, which strengthened outreach services to migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and the Farmworker Protection final rule, which strengthened protections for agricultural workers and enhanced DOL’s capabilities to monitor program compliance and take enforcement actions.[1]  Departments and agencies enhanced training for investigators, focused on trauma-informed and victim-centered approaches, to include:DOL’s inspectors: (a) received comprehensive training on the prevention of labor exploitation and human trafficking, on trauma-informed interviewing, and on referrals, retaliation, and the certification of visas for victims; (b) increased their engagement with local human trafficking task forces; (c) increased referrals of labor trafficking cases for further investigations; and (d) provided expertise on labor exploitation and child labor prosecutions, as part of the Forced Labor Initiative.DOJ’s Executive Office for Immigration Review conducted mandatory training for all personnel on identifying trafficking indicators and avoiding adverse immigration consequences for trafficking victims.DOJ’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit delivered trainings to conferences of federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement on strategies for preventing inappropriate arrest and punishment of trafficking victims.Since October 2022, the Department of the Interior (DOI) partnered with DOJ to develop a training curriculum for law enforcement first responders (primarily National Park Service (NPS), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and Tribal law enforcement officers) on responding to sexual assault, domestic violence, and child abuse crimes.  The partnership has trained over 170 federal and tribal officers.DOI deployed online training courses for law enforcement first responders on trauma-related topics, such as Brain Responses to Trauma, Responding to Traumatized Victims, responding to child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence, the role of Victim Specialists, and the Law Enforcement Manager’s Role in Victim Assistance.  DOI’s First Responder to Violent Crimes Training curriculum heavily emphasized the key role of Victim Assistance personnel in investigations.DOL’s National Monitor Advocate and National Farmworker Jobs Program provided training on processing complaints regarding suspected trafficking of agricultural workers and met with stakeholders about improving employment and training services for trafficking victims and survivors.Departments and agencies strengthened their victim outreach capacities, to include:DOI, with support from DOJ, expanded NPS’s Victim Assistance Program, adding four Victim Specialists, and the United States Park Police created a national Victim Assistance Program Coordinator.DHS expanded its Victim Assistance Program, increasing the number of Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program Specialists and Forensic Interview Specialists, and enhancing efforts to identify victims of human trafficking and to connect them to social services and medical care. In 2024, DHS launched Continued Presence – a temporary immigration designation provided to individuals identified as trafficking victims who may be potential witnesses. In addition to expanding federal law enforcement access, this modernization streamlined the application process and ensured eligible victims receive temporary immigration protection and access to federal benefits and services more quickly.PROSECUTIONDepartments and agencies worked to hold accountable individuals and entities engaged in human trafficking and to dismantle human trafficking networks, employing a broad range of non-criminal enforcement tools and strengthening criminal enforcement capabilities. DOJ led the Interagency Forced Labor Initiative Steering Group, established in 2022, intensifying its focus on prosecutions involving forced child labor, including forced labor of unaccompanied minors. Among other significant prosecutions, in 2024, DOJ secured a landmark life sentence and $80,000 in restitution in a forced child labor case.Through adding human trafficking as a core agency mission and establishing new partnerships, DHS improved investigations of perpetrators of this crime. In 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made 2,545 arrests human trafficking-related offenses and assisted 818 human trafficking victims. HSI supported 914 human trafficking-related indictments with federal and state partners, leading to 405 convictions.Over the past three years, DOL’s Investigator General has opened approximately 100 criminal matters involving DOL’s Foreign Labor Certification program, and over 125 criminal matters relating to human and labor trafficking allegations. DOL’s efforts in these cases have resulted in dozens of convictions and more than $6 million in monetary results.In 2021, DOI created a new Missing and Murdered Unit (MMU) within the BIA, to pursue justice for missing/murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives. The MMU collaborated with agencies, enhancing DOJ’s National Missing and Unidentified Persons System and working in strategic partnerships with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Behavioral Analysis Units, the FBI Forensic Laboratory, the U.S. Marshals Missing Child Unit, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and FBI’s Operation Not Forgotten, which together with DOI surged resources for Tribal communities.Since December 2022, the Department of Treasury (Treasury) has used its sanctioning authorities to hold traffickers accountable and to disrupt human trafficking activities. Treasury has designated 33 persons for conduct related to human trafficking, including for serious human rights abuse aboard PRC-flagged fishing vessels, and for systemic and pervasive sex trafficking activity. In 2024, Treasury announced sanctions against a Cambodian official and five corporate entities for human rights abuses amounting to forced labor—a form of human trafficking—in online scam operations at casinos and hotels.  This action marked the culmination of years of interagency coordination, including extensive reporting and research led by State’s TIP Office, and is a model for preparing future sanctions packages against human traffickers.DOT issued a final rule requiring states to permanently ban drivers convicted of human trafficking from operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV), which requires a commercial driver’s license or commercial learner’s permit.In 2024, DOJ’s Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force announced its National Human Trafficking Strategic Initiative to mobilize federal, state, and local law enforcement of transnational organized and gang-related human trafficking threats.In 2024, DOJ launched coordinated efforts to combat human trafficking and related crimes associated with the Venezuelan-based Tren de Aragua (TdA). The FBI-led National Gang Intelligence Center, a collaboration among interagency enforcement partners, has been developing a centralized platform from investigations and prosecutions across multiple agencies and jurisdictions against TdA-related human trafficking threats.DOI and DOJ have made efforts to improve investigations and prosecutions related to missing/murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives.In 2021, DOI and DOJ established the Not Invisible Act Commission (NIAC) comprised of law enforcement, Tribal leaders and organizations, judges, federal officials, family members, and survivors. In 2023, the NAIC held public hearings across the country, gathering over 200+ public comments about the crisis of missing/murdered Indigenous persons and human trafficking, which shaped NIAC’s final recommendations. In November 2023, the NIAC submitted its report, “Not One More: Findings & Recommendations of the Not Invisible Act Commission,” to DOI, DOJ, and Congress, recommending specific concerns and areas for improvement. In March 2024, the DOI and DOJ issued a response to the Report, addressing the areas of concern, including law enforcement and investigative resources; recruitment and retention of law enforcement; data collection and reporting; cross jurisdictional coordination; family and survivor resources; improving public safety resources; and Alaska-specific issues.At the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit, the BIA and the FBI announced an agreement to provide for the effective and efficient administration of criminal investigations in Indian Country.In September 2024, DOI and DOJ convened a virtual roundtable meeting with Tribal and federal representatives, advocates, media, and survivors to discuss improving media coverage of missing/murdered Indigenous peoples.PARTNERSHIPDepartments and agencies worked across the government and with external partners, including to coordinate efforts domestically and with foreign partners, and to integrate survivor input into the work of these partners.In 2023, HHS launched the Joint Forced Labor Working Group, a public-private collaboration to strengthen public health supply chains through training and guidance for procurement professionals and suppliers. HHS hosted a series of listening sessions and provided resources on technology-facilitated trafficking and related forms of exploitation.Treasury has enhanced integration of financial intelligence in law enforcement investigations related to human trafficking, including: (a) In 2024, the agency published the National Money Laundering Risk Assessment, which stated that human trafficking networks are a major illicit financing threat; (b) Treasuryconducted 22 trainings for investigators on proactively identifying sex trafficking and forced labor cases utilizing Bank Secrecy Act data and other financial data; (c) Treasury published a Financial Trend Analysis on the use of virtual currency for suspected online child sexual exploitation and human trafficking; and (d) Treasury, through the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, joined and collaborated with two human trafficking-focused public-private partnerships hosted by Canada: Project Shadow and Project Protect.Departments and agencies worked with survivors and other stakeholders to inform and align federal efforts with survivor expertise, to include:State engaged with the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking and State’s Human Trafficking Expert Consultant Network (the Network) to launch new trainings, designed with survivors and other trauma experts, including: “Understanding Trauma and Trauma-Informed Approaches,” which provides tips for engaging with potential victims and survivors of trafficking. In 2024, State partnered with consultants from the Network to assist with drafting State’s 2024 TIP Report and with updating the Wilberforce “Know Your Rights” pamphlet.The U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) 2021 Counter-Trafficking in Persons (CTIP) Policy incorporated survivor input and prioritized survivor-centered approaches in CTIP programs through reintegration support such as livelihood training and psychosocial assistance to minimize re-traumatization.In 2024, State’s TIP Office launched a survivor leadership training and technical assistance award, which will provide technical assistance focused on establishing survivor leadership and survivor partnership structures and processes abroad.USAID engaged with multiple jurisdictions to enhance and support human trafficking awareness and investigations around the world.USAID supported the Government of Bangladesh in developing and updating its national action plan to combat human trafficking, empowered communities with enforcement tools, and strengthened court capacity.  In Central Asia, USAID has promoted safe migration and strengthened the accountability of government institutions by implementing laws, policies, and regulations on combating trafficking in persons and safe migration.  USAID has also worked in Guatemala to support survivors of trafficking by providing temporary housing, food, medical care, psychosocial support, education and job training, and legal support.In 2023, USAID’s Regional Development Mission in Asia convened the Evidence2Action Summit to discuss survivor inclusion in countering trafficking.DOT led the development of (a) counter-trafficking guidelines covering all modes of transportation for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation’s 21 member economies, and (b) aviation-specific guidelines for the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization’s 193 member countries. Key components of both guidelines include leadership, policies, reporting protocols, partnerships, training, public awareness, data collection, information-sharing, and victim and survivor support.###[1] The Farmworker Protection final rule is currently subject to legal challenges. Several court orders—including one with nationwide effect—have prohibited DOL from implementing some or all of the rule. 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