Last week, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Western District of Washington observed National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and joined the U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) in reaffirming the administration’s commitment to combating all forms of human trafficking and protecting victims and survivors, a recent news release stated.
Human Trafficking Prevention Month presents an opportunity for DHS and DOJ, through Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF), to intensify operational efforts, raise public awareness and strengthen partnerships across federal, state and local agencies to ensure traffickers are brought to justice, the news release 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,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in the release. “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.”
“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,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in the release. “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.”
“Western Washington is a leader in fighting human trafficking with dedicated, experienced prosecutors and a collaborative law enforcement team of state, local and federal partners,” U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said in the release. “We welcome the added resources of the Homeland Security Task Forces to augment our work in these areas.”
In January 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14159, “Protecting the American People Against Invasion.” Section six of this order directed the attorney general and the secretary of homeland security to jointly establish Homeland Security Task Forces in every state nationwide.
Since Jan. 20, the Western District of Washington has:
• Indicted a violent sex trafficker and acknowledged street gang leader, who trafficked women on north Aurora Avenue and other states.
• Prosecuted a violent sex trafficker who was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
• Indicted a 37-year-old Seattle man for sex trafficking.
• Sentenced a Washington state man to 11 years in prison for trafficking young women including a teenager.
In January 2026, DHS and DOJ are surging resources to fight and raise awareness about human trafficking, including:
• Identifying ongoing investigations and prioritizing featured operations across 45 federal locations and 10 state locations with an emphasis on border states.
• Coordinating with FBI Human Trafficking Squads and multi-agency Human Trafficking Task Forces to conduct victim recovery.
• Partnering with AMTRAK and FAMS to increase law enforcement resources and distribute posters with QR codes for reporting human trafficking in all station bathrooms and trains.
• Running advertisements related to $250 million recovery from Backpage to distribute to victims and additional victim restitution efforts.
• Organizing human trafficking seminars and outreach events with DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking at high schools and colleges to highlight the role of HSTFs in addressing human trafficking.
