The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently released its Center for Countering Human Trafficking annual report detailing its efforts to counter human trafficking.
The report said DHS agencies assisted 765 human trafficking victims, and made 3,655 trafficking-related arrests, according to a Jan. 31 news release.
"This report is a testament to the commitment and compassion of the DHS workforce and our invaluable partners," CCHT Director Cardell T. Morant said in the release. "Human trafficking is a complex global issue that requires a comprehensive strategy using every conceivable tool available to government, industry and communities to fight it – it is this philosophy that guides the CCHT as we seek to advance efforts to combat human trafficking and the importation of goods produced with forced labor."
Part of DHS' mission is to fight human trafficking, work to end sex trafficking and forced labor through initiatives that include victim identification and assistance, criminal investigations and intelligence and analysis, according to the news release.
Among other details outlined in the report, DHS developed implementation plans in fiscal 2022 to incorporate a victim-centered approach in all relevant policies and programs, the release reported. Immigration protections were granted to more than 22,500 victims and their families and DHS personnel supported more than 1,000 trafficking-related indictments and 600 prosecutions.
DHS also trained more than 200,000 employees and private-sector personnel to recognize and reporting suspected human trafficking cases, according to the release.
