Human Trafficking and the Department of Transportation

Overview

DOT is working with other U.S. Government agencies and with transportation stakeholders across the country on human trafficking initiatives.

How DOT is Helping

DOT Trains Employees on Human Trafficking Awareness

All 55,000 DOT employees and 20,000 contractors will receive human trafficking awareness training that covers common signs of human trafficking and how to report it.

Cooperative Activities

In a partnership announced October 4, 2012, Amtrak will train it's 20,000 employees with training and awareness materials developed by DHS and DOT to help recognize and report human trafficking. This initiative is part of the Blue Campaign, which DHS launched in 2010 to combat human trafficking through:

  • Enhanced public awareness
  • Training
  • Victim assistance
  • Law enforcement investigations

Blue Lightning, a partnership between DOT and DHS, provides U.S. commercial airlines with a voluntary mechanism to identify potential human trafficking victims and to notify Federal authorities. The initiative includes:

  • A computer-based training module and
  • Printed materials on the indicators of potential human trafficking
  • Methods for airline personnel to safely and anonymously alert federal law enforcement.

Interagency Human Trafficking Activities

DOT is a member of the President’s Interagency Task Force (PITF) and Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG).

The President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking (PITF) is a Cabinet-level entity created by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) to coordinate federal efforts to combat trafficking in persons. The PITF is chaired by the Secretary of State.

The Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG): The TVPA, as amended in 2003, also established the Senior Policy Operating Group (SPOG), which consists of senior officials designated as representatives of the PITF members. The SPOG coordinates:

  • Interagency policy, grants and research
  • Planning issues involving international trafficking in persons
  • The implementation of the TVPA.

The SPOG is chaired by the Department of State.

Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking

Representatives from across the transportation industry are working together in the Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking partnership to:

  • Exchange ideas and best practices
  • Measure progress
  • Coordinate activities
  • Share training programs and materials
  • Build the transportation sector initiative against human trafficking

Join the Effort!

Join Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking or learn more about it by emailing trafficking@dot.gov.

You will be contacted within a few days with additional information about the collaborative group.

Updated: Tuesday, December 4, 2012