According to the second annual report from the Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT), a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 2022 brought implementation plans for a new victim-centered approach at the agency, along with hundreds of victims aided and thousands of traffickers arrested.
Last year, DHS agencies reportedly assisted 765 human trafficking victims outright while granting immigration protections to more than 22,500 victims and their families. On the enforcement side, they undertook 3,655 trafficking-related arrests that led to 638 convictions and supported indictments and prosecutions of more.
“This report is a testament to the commitment and compassion of the DHS workforce and our invaluable partners,” CCHT Director Cardell Morant said. “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.”
Though it began work in 2020, CCHT was only codified through the Countering Human Trafficking Act of 2022. Now, the agency works to coordinate the efforts of 16 other DHS offices and agencies in the fight against human trafficking, specifically.
Its latest report also noted that last year was the beginning of enforcement for the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), which led to six Withhold Release Orders prohibiting imported goods made with forced labor. Separately, the agency’s Blue Campaign acquired 42 new partners in aviation, colleges, youth-serving organizations, and campus/school resource offices in support of tip lines and more. Another 3,300 law enforcement officers were also trained to better spot human trafficking and how to respond to suspected cases with a victim-centered approach.