Federal Government Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) called for the creation of the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons to coordinate anti-trafficking efforts among various U.S. Federal government agencies. The following Federal government agencies are implementing programs to protect and assist victims of human trafficking and to capture and prosecute their traffickers.

U.S. Department Health and Human Services
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for certifying victims of human trafficking once they are identified. This certification allows victims to receive Federally funded benefits and services to the same extent as refugees. To read more about what HHS is doing, click here.

U.S. Department of Justice
DOJ investigates cases of trafficking and prosecutes the traffickers. DOJ has also contributed to the construction of a network of trafficking victims service providers via their grant programs, and facilitates the complaint process for persons wanting to report a case of trafficking.

U.S. Department of Labor
DOL offers programs such as job-search, job-placement assistance and job-counseling services as well as educational and training services and referrals to supportive services such as transportation, childcare and housing, through its One-Stop Career Center System - which victims can access after HHS certification. The Wage and Hour Division also investigates complaints of labor law violation, and is an important partner in the detection of trafficking victims. To report a possible violation, please call 1-866-487-9243.

U.S. Department of State
State is responsible for coordinating international anti-trafficking programs and efforts.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a division of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, investigates cases of trafficking, and is an important partner in victim identification. ICE also adjudicates continued presence status, which makes a victim eligible for HHS certification. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, another division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, awards the T visa, which also makes a victim eligible for HHS certification.