The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have marked National Human Trafficking Prevention Month by reaffirming their efforts to combat human trafficking and support victims. The observance highlights ongoing operations, increased public awareness, and collaboration across federal, state, and local agencies.
“Through the Homeland Security Task Force, President Trump is taking the fight directly to human trafficking networks and disrupting their modern-day slave trade while seizing their assets and arresting their kingpins and foot soldiers. The American people should not have to live in fear of cartels, gangbangers, and foreign terrorists preying upon the most vulnerable among us,” said Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security. “The Homeland Security Task Force is the largest coordinated campaign against transnational criminal organizations in U.S. history, and I’m proud to co-lead it with Attorney General Bondi.”
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated: “This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited. Under this administration we have seen an increase in human trafficking prosecutions, and during Human Trafficking Prevention Month we reaffirm our commitment to prosecuting traffickers and encourage Americans to report instances of human trafficking in their communities.”
FBI Director Kash Patel added: “During Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the FBI reiterates our work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces to protect our communities across the country. The horrifying reach of human trafficking spreads far and wide. Homeland Security Task Forces are fighting back to disrupt these perilous networks and put a stop to that reach. The FBI will continue our investigations and bring justice to those exploited by human traffickers.”
In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159 on Protecting the American People Against Invasion. This order directed DHS and DOJ leadership to create Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) in every state with a goal of eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations within the United States, as well as dismantling cross-border smuggling operations—with a particular focus on crimes involving children—and using all available law enforcement tools for immigration law enforcement.
During January 2026’s observance month, DHS and DOJ are deploying additional resources against human trafficking by prioritizing ongoing investigations at multiple federal locations—particularly border states—coordinating recovery efforts with FBI squads and multi-agency task forces; collaborating with AMTRAK and Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) for outreach through posters featuring QR codes for reporting; advertising about $250 million recovered from Backpage for victim restitution; organizing seminars at schools via DHS’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking; among other initiatives.
On August 25th last year HSTF launched nationwide operations culminating in what was described as a “September Surge.” Over a period of 43 days across 400 operations nationwide there were over three thousand arrests—including members from Sinaloa cartel (1,041), CJNG (856), MS-13 (641), Tren de Aragua (456)—and significant seizures: more than one thousand weapons seized along with approximately $3.25 million in cash proceeds plus around 91 metric tons of narcotics.
