Trump is delivering a major blow to human traffickers

Despite historic progress in securing the border under the Trump administration, human trafficking remains a global crisis. However, strengthened state and local partnerships, combined with decisive action from the administration, have driven meaningful progress since last year.

On any given day, an estimated 27.6 million people are victims of trafficking worldwide. In the United States, the full scale of the crisis remains difficult to measure, as these crimes often occur in underground or illicit markets. Still, estimates indicate that between 14,000 and 17,000 foreign nationals are trafficked into the country each year, while more than 1 million victims are trafficked within the U.S. annually.

New research published by the America First Policy Institute’s America Combats Trafficking initiative demonstrates that Trump’s Labor Department is targeting illegal labor and work visa abuse at record levels, eclipsing the previous administration’s DOL by orders of magnitude.

It raises the question: Why wasn’t the Biden administration enforcing child and illegal immigrant labor violations?

The answer is simple and revealing. This failure to hold employers accountable was one of the many ways mass illegal immigration and human trafficking on a global scale were enabled. The difference couldn’t be starker: The current administration is holding employers who exploit illegal and child labor accountable, while the previous administration turned a blind eye to those horrors.

Without a doubt, the Biden administration’s open-border policies exacerbated and facilitated this crisis, with little to no media oversight. America’s border crisis under Biden’s policies will be felt for years to come.

Let’s dig into the new research.

One way the federal government combats trafficking is by levying financial penalties against employers who violate child labor, illegal labor, and other labor laws. And make no mistake: Profit motive is a primary driver of human trafficking.

The DOL has sharply increased monetary penalties issued to employers who employ illegal immigrants and violate federal labor laws. According to the report, “low-wage industries, where illegal labor violations are common, saw some of the biggest jumps,” with penalties in those sectors rising by 65%.

Migrant workers unload frozen fish from a boat at a fish market in Samut Sakhon Province, west of Bangkok, Friday, June 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

" data-large-file="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/7e19f224f5457c2da944bb727cfc6167-scaled-e1782750614883.jpg?w=696" src="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/7e19f224f5457c2da944bb727cfc6167-scaled.jpg?w=696" alt="Migrant workers unload frozen fish from a boat at a fish market in Samut Sakhon Province, west of Bangkok, Friday, June 20, 2014. The United States has blacklisted Thailand and Malaysia for failing to meet its minimum standards in fighting human trafficking, a move that could strain relations with two important U.S. partners in Asia. Thailand had mounted a determined campaign to prevent a downgrade that could exact a reputational cost on its lucrative seafood and shrimp industries for which America is a key market. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)" class="wp-image-2698319">Migrant workers unload frozen fish from a boat at a fish market in Samut Sakhon Province, west of Bangkok, on Friday, June 20, 2014. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Fines for illegal child labor have also increased under the Trump administration. Remarkably, fiscal 2025 saw illegal child labor fines rise to four times the average of the Biden administration, making it the largest amount recorded in at least 13 years, according to AFPI’s research.

According to the State Department’s 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report, human trafficking and forced labor tend to occur in similar low-wage industries such as agriculture, construction, and food services that often employ illegal immigrants and temporary foreign workers.

By aggressively targeting employers who violate labor laws, the DOL is now simultaneously cracking down on illegal immigration and disrupting the economic incentives that drive human trafficking, a clear win for American workers. Recent research underscores the contrast: The Biden administration did not crack down on employers even as millions of illegal immigrants entered our country. Unfortunately, under the Biden administration, these standards were not enforced, and hundreds of children were exploited and likely trafficked through means of slave labor, working hazardous jobs in industrial factories and construction sites.

The Trump administration deserves more credit, particularly given the broad bipartisan concern surrounding human trafficking and labor exploitation. The results speak for themselves.

This progress deserves recognition, but now is not the time to rest. Victims of trafficking and forced labor surround us every day, and there is more work to be done. The Trump administration should continue to escalate its inter-agency efforts to combat illegal immigration, human trafficking, and forced labor. This includes increasing penalties for violators and strengthening investigative and prosecutorial resources to ensure full accountability for these crimes.

‘ALL MEN ARE CREATED EQUAL’ TURNS 250

While we may not see the signs of human trafficking in our daily lives, it surrounds us. Trafficking can occur anywhere and at any time, in strip malls, convenience stores, truck stops, and even suburban neighborhoods.

The Trump administration, alongside state and local partners, is treating this global epidemic with the seriousness it demands. Others should follow that lead to ensure human trafficking and forced labor become relics of the past, not enduring violations of human dignity, freedom, and opportunity.

Bob Unanue is a founding board member of the America First Policy Institute and chairman of America Combats Trafficking and the Hispanic Leadership Coalition. He previously served as president and CEO of Goya Foods and Goya Cares and was executive producer of Sound of Freedom.