President Joe Biden signed an anti-human trafficking bill Dec. 27 which will codify and expand the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Center for Countering Human Trafficking.

The Countering Human Trafficking Act of 2022 provides $14 million to strengthen CCHT's mission to combat human trafficking and importation of goods produced by forced labor, according to a Dec. 29 DHS news release.

"This is a seminal moment in our fight against the scourge of human trafficking," Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in the release. "With the increased funding and additional personnel dedicated to our leading DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, we will advance our work to identify and support victims, conduct operations that hold the traffickers accountable and strengthen our partnerships with non-governmental organizations. We are grateful for this critical legislation that supports our victim-centered, all-of-society efforts to end human trafficking."

Acting Executive Associate Director for Homeland Security Investigations Steve Francis also referred to the legislation as an important moment in DHS history, the release reported.

"This is a significant milestone in the continued growth and advancement of the CCHT mission," Francis said. "The signing of this legislation marks an important day that institutionalizes the DHS counter-trafficking mission, including victim identification and screening, victim protection and assistance, investigations and enforcement and training, outreach and engagement. I would like to highlight the importance of our partnerships with non-government organizations and their critical role in HSI’s victim-centered approach to human trafficking investigations."