The 2023 Human Trafficking Data Collection Report revealed a significant increase of 49% in the number of individuals referred to U.S. attorneys for human trafficking offenses, reaching 2,027 in fiscal year 2021, compared to 1,360 in 2011. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) published this report in October 2023.
As per the BJS human trafficking report, the bureau collects information through data collections involving victim service providers, law enforcement, prosecution and adjudication, and corrections. Despite variations in definitions and data availability, these collections contribute to a comprehensive profile of human trafficking in the United States. The report outlines BJS data collections and various offenses under consideration while presenting the latest statistical findings on human trafficking at both federal and state levels.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) states that human trafficking "remains prevalent." In 2016, it was estimated that around 40 million people were ensnared in some form of modern slavery. Women and girls are disproportionately affected with 99% involved in the sex slavery industry and 58% in the slave labor industry. Furthermore, one out of every four victims is a child. Human traffickers use "force, fraud, coercion" to compel people to pay off their debts through labor or sex.
Insight Crime reports that the human trafficking system operates through the U.S.-Mexico border. Organized crime groups including but not limited to Mexican cartels control corridors along the border facilitating movement of human trafficking victims through illegal entry or bribery of officials. The cartels' strategy for human trafficking is closely linked with migrant smuggling.
In his Congressional testimony reported by Federal Newswire, Sheriff Mark J. Dannels from Cochise County, Arizona voiced concern over the state of border security and immigration laws. He said: "By allowing our border security mission and immigration laws to be discretionary, these Criminal Cartels continue to be the true winners, their exploitation of mankind is simply 'Modern Day Slavery'; allowing thousands of pounds of illicit drugs into our country that continue to erode the core-values of families, schools and subsequently killing Americans on an average of 290 every day is completely unacceptable at any level". Dannels added: "Our southern border, against all public well-designed statements out of Washington D.C., is in the worst shape I have ever seen it. When one looks at Public Safety, National Security, and Humanitarian aspects, our southern border is the largest crime scene in the country."
According to CBP statistics, there were a combined 4.1 million Southwest border encounters in FY2021 and FY2022. In contrast, there were 458,088 encounters in FY2020.
