A wide range of criminals, including individual pimps, family operations, small businesses, loose-knit decentralized criminal networks, and international organized criminal operations, can be human traffickers.

Who is in charge of human trafficking?

As the largest investigative agency within DHS, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducts domestic and international investigations of human trafficking, child sex tourism, and forced child labor.

Who is responsible for preventing human trafficking?

The Department of State leads the U.S. global engagement to combat human trafficking and supports the coordination of anti-trafficking efforts across the U.S. government. The United States follows the widely used “3P” paradigm — prosecution, protection, and prevention — to combat human trafficking worldwide.