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Content warning: pregnancy from sexual violence
Human trafficking and exploitation in America are not isolated issues; they result from a complex interplay of risk factors rooted in systemic inequalities. These vulnerabilities make individuals susceptible to trafficking, providing traffickers with the opportunity to manipulate those facing difficult circumstances. Tackling these injustices requires more than just empathy; it demands a commitment to intentional prevention through effective policy implementation.
Homelessness
Homelessness and unstable housing are major drivers of sex trafficking in the U.S., creating a vicious cycle that traffickers exploit. Polaris reports that 64% of trafficking survivors were homeless or housing insecure when they were trafficked. Additionally, 40-60% of women in the sex industry report experiencing homelessness while in the industry, and 88% experienced absolute homelessness at some point in their lives. For many runaway youth and unhoused women, “survival sex” — trading sex for food or shelter — becomes a lifeline with seemingly no alternatives. Traffickers target this risk factor; the fear of sleeping on the streets becomes a powerful tool for recruitment and coercion.
Shelters and public housing aren’t always safe havens either. Traffickers build trust by offering temporary shelter, only to trap women in exploitative situations later. Even when survivors escape, the lack of affordable housing makes rebuilding hard. Many find themselves re-victimized, as Polaris highlights that 70% of survivors identified stable housing as their most urgent need. The barriers don’t end there. Criminal records tied to trafficking experiences leave 59% of survivors denied housing, keeping them trapped in cycles of instability. Domestic and sexual violence further complicates the picture, as women who flee abusive homes often end up trafficked on the streets.
The affordable housing crisis only deepens the problem. High rent and limited support force many women back into unsafe situations, whether with abusers or traffickers. Emphasis on funding for mental health and addiction services is critical since these factors often drive homelessness and exploitation. Polaris’s Resilience Fund, created by survivor leader Megan Lundstrom, offers a guaranteed income cash program based on a trust model with survivors, which may help them secure stable housing or pay their rent. While temporary guaranteed income programs are proven to help survivors move from survival mode and relapses to a road of healing and health, long-term solutions are required in the form of updated policies to eliminate discrimination against survivors with criminal records and expand affordable housing options.
Kamala Harris:
Vice President Kamala Harris has taken steps to address homelessness, advocating for increased affordable housing, rental assistance, and economic empowerment. Her recent announcement of a $5.5 billion federal investment aims to boost affordable housing, promote wealth-building opportunities, and tackle homelessness through interventions, including mental health and addiction services. Critics argue that while these programs are thorough, they are still built for long-term dependency on government aid rather than promoting self-sufficiency and require substantial financial investment. By focusing heavily on federal solutions, her approach could overlook the importance of local governments tailoring interventions to address specific needs in their communities.
Donald Trump:
Former President Donald Trump’s approach to homelessness emphasized deregulation and private-sector incentives. By reducing zoning restrictions, his administration aimed to encourage private development and expand the housing supply. This market-driven strategy sought to create affordable housing without significant government investment, aiming to boost temporary shelter availability while increasing policing in cities with large homeless populations.
Trump's focus on increased policing reflects his belief that homelessness contributes to urban crime and safety concerns. While these policies offered immediate relief and addressed short-term public safety concerns, critics have argued that they criminalized homelessness. Temporary shelter solutions, often prioritized over permanent housing, failed to address the root causes of homelessness, leaving individuals vulnerable to exploitation and trafficking upon release from temporary environments, perpetuating cycles of instability and displacement. Only by addressing these interconnected factors can policies effectively reduce homelessness and mitigate the risk of exploitation for at-risk populations.
Survivor Commentary
Christine:
Housing and homelessness are significant issues for those who have experienced exploitation. In my own life, I have faced homelessness multiple times, including after completing a degree as a result of being unemployed and not having a family to turn to. This is an all too familiar reality with survivors of familial trafficking. I experienced homelessness for about nine months until I was able to get into an affordable unit. The majority of survivors that I have provided crisis and supportive services to have communicated that they were homeless during their trafficking or as a result of the exploitation. While I was homeless as a result of familial trafficking, stories vary for other survivors. One woman’s trafficker was her boyfriend, and she lived in his apartment; yet another was told that she would be a model and trafficked in the home they shared. It often is a series of choices that aren’t really choices, and individuals usually end up in increasingly worse situations.
The vast majority of survivors have stated that they have housing insecurity and would leave their exploiter if there was a safe place to go. Additionally, finding an open shelter bed for survivors who had children provided an increased vulnerability. The vast majority of anti-trafficking shelter beds are only licensed for single women, leaving those with children unable to find a safe home. There are very few beds throughout the country for LGBTQ survivors, and a 2013 report identified only 28 beds throughout the United States for male survivors. Furthermore, long-term transitional safe homes are needed for survivors of exploitation. Many are given only a short time at a program and are constantly hypervigilant about where they will sleep next. There is a significant need in this country for transitional and affordable housing. Traffickers and buyers prey off those who are unstably housed, often creating a cycle of re-exploitation in a person’s life to have a place to live.
Ashley:
Stability for survivors allows them to focus on positively contributing to their communities. Not only does homelessness cause instability, but it can lead to an increased chance of re-entry into trafficking even years after exploitation. Early on in my healing journey, I remember contemplating several times about going back, not because I wanted to but because I wasn’t aware of alternatives that could adequately support me. Affordable housing is excellent when it’s created with safety in mind. Housing options I’ve seen offered to survivors often have one way in and one way out - making an exit plan incomprehensible. They are usually placing survivors in a demographic of people who have been involved in criminal activity, making neighbors unsafe in most cases. Visit an affordable housing complex at night and tell me how safe you feel driving and walking through. Home should be a safe space for everyone. While we know that crime exists, those leaving the traumas of trafficking should not have to be surrounded by potential traffickers and/or placed in unsafe communities to gain affordable housing. Retraumatization and exposure could prolong and prevent a survivor from healing and thriving.
Poverty:
Poverty significantly increases someone's risk level of human trafficking by forcing individuals to seek unsafe opportunities, often under exploitative conditions. When basic needs like food, shelter, and education are unmet, people may accept precarious jobs, making them easy targets for traffickers. This dynamic is evident in both labor and sex trafficking, with traffickers exploiting desperation for survival.
Labor trafficking disproportionately affects people from low-income backgrounds. Migrants fleeing poverty often end up in industries like agriculture, construction, and domestic work, where exploitative conditions prevail. Some workers are lured with promises of fair wages, only to be trapped in forced labor. Others are coerced through threats or the confiscation of identity documents.
Migrants crossing borders without legal documentation often rely on traffickers for transportation or jobs, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. This is especially common for women and children, who may become trapped in labor and/or sex trafficking networks while seeking better economic opportunities.
Marginalized groups, particularly Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), are more susceptible to trafficking because poverty intersects with systemic inequalities. Wage gaps persist between women of color and their white counterparts. These wage gaps result in considerable economic losses for BIPOC women, making it a challenge to support their families, save for the future, or invest. For example, women of color are overrepresented in low-wage jobs and trafficking cases, facing both economic exclusion and exploitation. Racism further restricts their access to education, employment, and legal protections, perpetuating cycles of poverty and vulnerability.
Breaking the link between poverty and trafficking requires holistic approaches, including economic empowerment programs and legal reforms. Providing education, vocational training, and fair employment opportunities helps reduce vulnerability. Strengthening worker protections, particularly for migrants, is crucial to preventing exploitation.
Poverty is a critical factor driving human trafficking, especially when combined with systemic inequalities and migration pressures. Traffickers exploit individuals living in hardship by offering deceptive opportunities, trapping them in exploitative situations.
Kamala Harris:
Kamala Harris emphasizes expanding social safety nets, including a stronger Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and a higher federal minimum wage, as central to her strategy for reducing poverty and systemic inequality. Harris has labeled the current $7.25 federal minimum wage as "poverty pay," advocating for substantial increases for working families to improve economic stability nationwide. Her approach could potentially reduce poverty levels and provide families with greater financial security through expanded tax credits and better wages.
For example, extending EITC benefits aims to increase earnings for childless workers who currently receive limited support. Some economists and opponents argue that increasing the minimum wage may lead to job losses, particularly in small businesses and industries sensitive to labor costs, making low-skilled workers more vulnerable. The economic relief efforts tied to the Biden-Harris administration have coincided with inflation, raising concerns about whether further wage increases could exacerbate inflationary pressures and hurt consumers due to rising costs. Understanding these trade-offs is essential for evaluating the overall impact of her agenda on poverty alleviation in the U.S.
Donald Trump:
Donald Trump’s approach to poverty focused on stimulating economic growth through the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) and imposing work requirements for welfare programs. These strategies aimed to reduce dependency on government aid while encouraging self-sufficiency. Official data reports that about 4.2 million fewer individuals were in poverty during his tenure, reflecting the impact of job growth and increased wages under his administration. Some analysts argue that this growth partly continued trends from the Obama administration rather than representing new economic achievements. The TCJA initially boosted consumer investment by lowering corporate and individual tax rates, though wealthier households benefited the most.
Low-income families saw only minor gains, as changes to the Child Tax Credit (CTC) provided limited relief to the poorest households.
These policies reduced access to critical support for vulnerable populations, increasing their risk of exploitation and trafficking. Cuts to housing and food programs exacerbated financial hardships, making it harder for low-income individuals to recover or thrive. Trade policies, including tariffs intended to protect American jobs, negatively impacted lower-income households. The growing federal deficit during his administration also raised concerns about long-term economic sustainability. While Trump’s policies succeeded in reducing poverty and unemployment, the reductions in social safety nets left vulnerable communities struggling. His approach reflects a trade-off: promoting economic growth at the expense of support programs crucial for those living near or below the poverty line.
Survivor Commentary
Christine:
Poverty is a significant issue when discussing human trafficking. The National Survivor Study, which surveyed 457 survivors, found that 83% of survivors experienced poverty before their victimization. While exploitation and trafficking occur in every socioeconomic group, survivors are overwhelmingly of low-income backgrounds.. The study also indicated that 43% were making under $25,000 a year, leading to unpaid bills, lack of ability to care for children, increased credit card debt, and predatory lending. Furthermore, 60% experienced economic abuse and exploitation while being trafficked, and respondents were twice as likely to be unbanked as the general U.S. population. Survivors need funds through a guaranteed income program to provide for basic needs such as food, gas, utilities, rent, and more. Many survivors are faced with the choice of engaging in exploitative work to meet their physical needs or choosing to go without, facing hunger, cold, and lack of shelter. In my own life, I have lived in or near poverty many times. I didn’t have people I could turn to if I needed to pay for a dentist visit or didn't have enough gas money. I will often have to choose to pay for the most pressing need, which usually means I will have to take jobs I don’t prefer or go without something I need. I have found this to be the case with many survivors of human trafficking and exploitation. A medical emergency may mean they are unsure if they can buy food or pay the rent that month. It may mean they have to work when sick or even refuse to go to the Emergency Department when they need care. In addition, they may turn down educational opportunities due to the financial cost. Ashley:
Black families represented 17.9% of those in poverty in 2023. This indicates that they make up a sizable portion of those experiencing homelessness. I was one of them when I became an adult and desired a better life than the toxic environment I had while living with my mom. Growing up with a poverty mindset and taking on most of the household responsibilities while my mom was at work led me to grow up fast. I believed money was the solution, and I wanted to help my family escape the struggle. I was a teenager when I was lured into trafficking, coerced to believe that I could help my family. I hoped that the actions I was taking, which seemed like sacrifices, were going to lead my family out of poverty. Now that I am an adult, I believe that educational access to quality resources can lead families out of poverty. Historically, Black girls receive harsher punishments in school and makeup nearly half of the suspensions and expulsions. Keeping Black girls out of the classroom removes the possibility of engaging in education and places them at a disadvantage. Schools can do much better to ensure our Black girls are supported and given the same opportunities to learn as their counterparts. When we look at the disproportionate rate at which Black women and girls are trafficked, it does not discount any other race or experience. People of every demographic are trafficked, and it needs to end. Highlighting these facts, however, is a cry for help from Black women and girls who are marginalized and want policy to include a cultural understanding of the realities we face.
Abortion:
The intersection between abortion and sex trafficking reveals a profoundly concerning trend:
95% of women in the sex trade have experienced at least one abortion, often under coercive circumstances. For these women, abortion is not a choice but a consequence of systemic exploitation. Research shows that traffickers use pregnancy manipulation as a control mechanism, contributing to the cycle of abuse that perpetuates the trafficking system. The trauma of forced abortions, coupled with ongoing sexual exploitation, poses severe challenges for survivors' physical and mental well-being.
According to research from the Global Centurion and Lozier Institute, traffickers frequently force or coerce women into abortions to maintain control and ensure that pregnancies do not interfere with profits. Survivors report that traffickers pressure them to terminate pregnancies to remain "marketable" or productive. In many cases, traffickers physically accompany victims to abortion clinics, demonstrating the extent of their control. Laura J. Lederer’s research highlights that victims are often deprived of agency, not just in the abortion decision but also in accessing reproductive health care that could support their autonomy.
Healthcare settings are critical points of intervention but are often underutilized in identifying trafficking victims. A report from the Lozier Institute points out that survivors frequently encounter healthcare providers, especially during pregnancies or abortions, yet many remain undetected as victims. The failure to recognize signs of trafficking stems from a lack of training among medical personnel, leading to missed opportunities for intervention. Abortion clinics, in particular, become a touchpoint for traffickers. Without proper protocols to screen for coercion, healthcare settings inadvertently facilitate the continuation of exploitation.
The forced termination of pregnancies leaves devastating emotional and physical scars. Trafficking victims are often exposed to high-risk pregnancies, repeated abortions, and untreated reproductive health complications. Over 67% of trafficking victims report multiple abortions. The Family Research Council highlights that survivors commonly suffer from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These mental health challenges are exacerbated by the trauma of abortion, especially when performed under duress or without adequate medical care, and repeated abortions and neglect of maternal health further compound the trauma, making it harder for survivors to rebuild their lives.
Addressing the intersection of abortion and trafficking requires both preventive and therapeutic strategies. Healthcare providers need comprehensive training to recognize indicators of trafficking, including signs of coercion related to abortion. Clinics and medical personnel should be equipped with trauma-informed approaches to screen for trafficking and connect survivors to resources that provide long-term support.
While there are some in this field that are the tip of the spear, teaching others to spot the signs of trafficking, like Common Spirit Health and HEAL Trafficking, we have room to grow in the healthcare sphere to equip practitioners better to notice and address the signs of trafficking. Additionally, policies should promote survivor-centered care, ensuring that women in vulnerable situations receive alternatives to abortion and access to protective services.
Raising awareness of this issue also plays a critical role in prevention. Many trafficking survivors have shared that if a healthcare provider had identified their situation earlier, they might have escaped exploitation sooner. As the data suggests, equipping healthcare settings and communities with the tools to identify signs of trafficking and intervene can save lives and offer hope to victims trapped in cycles of abuse.
The connection between abortion and trafficking exposes a harsh reality for women in the sex trade, where they have no real choices. Abortion becomes another tool of control wielded by traffickers, leaving survivors with lasting physical and emotional scars. Addressing this crisis requires a coordinated effort from healthcare professionals, policymakers, and advocates to ensure that survivors are met with compassion and care—empowered to reclaim their autonomy and live free from exploitation. Kamala Harris:
Kamala Harris aims to restore access to abortion through legislation that aligns with Roe v. Wade. She emphasizes the importance of unrestricted access to abortion and free contraceptives, believing these are essential parts of being pro-choice. Harris argues that healthcare access is critical in helping at-risk women regain control over their health and bodies.
Her position faces opposition, mainly due to the Democratic Party's stance on late-term abortions. Harris has dismissed claims that she supports abortion until birth, but her advocacy for broad reproductive rights sparks debate about how far abortion access should extend. Critics express concerns over potential third-trimester abortions, citing ethical questions and complications in achieving public consensus on abortion policy.
Harris also faces tension within the pro-choice movement.
Some activists believe her commitment to restoring Roe is insufficient and are advocating for more expansive federal protections that eliminate barriers such as waiting periods and state-imposed clinic regulations. Organizations like Planned Parenthood and EMILY's List support her presidential campaign.
Donald Trump:
During Trump’s administration, access to abortion services was restricted, impacting providers like Planned Parenthood and redirecting funds to crisis pregnancy centers. While these centers aimed to assist low-income women, they often fell short of delivering the comprehensive healthcare necessary for trafficking victims. Trump's focus on traditional family structures offered limited support for women trapped in crises, especially those controlled by traffickers. Trump’s SOAR (Stop, Observe, Ask & Respond) Health + Wellness Act sought to equip healthcare providers across the U.S. with the training needed to recognize and effectively address human trafficking within the healthcare system. The administration restricted funding to providers like Planned Parenthood through the Title X program, forcing clinics to exit the program rather than comply with the administration’s "gag rule," which prohibited providers from discussing abortion as a family planning option. This policy redirected funds toward crisis pregnancy centers, which critics argue lacked the medical capacity to address the complex needs of trafficking survivors and women facing severe crises. Survivor Commentary Ashley:
Abortion is hard for anyone and is a very personal choice. As a survivor of human trafficking, I had a hard time trusting anyone, but hospitals are created to be a safe space. When working with survivors, it’s easy to see us as victims, but we are humans. We have real feelings, and the pain of an abortion isn’t less painful when you go through this type of trauma. Perhaps if workers in healthcare settings understood the mindset of survivors and the tactics of traffickers, they could identify us sooner. Christine:
Many survivors have to face difficult, almost impossible choices during their exploitation and after having exited. During exploitation, survivors have no control over their bodies and healthcare. For example, one young woman was forced to have an abortion by her trafficker. Another young woman gave birth to her baby without any prenatal care, and her trafficker demanded they be discharged within a few hours. Another woman gave birth preterm, lacking prenatal care, and the infant was placed in the already overwhelmed foster care system due to her inability to care for the infant. While being exploited by other people, buyers, and traffickers control who has access to your body and how it can be treated, including being forced to endure many abuses. It can be re-traumatizing to be told what you have to do with your body and that you have no choice in the matter. Survivors should have choices regarding their healthcare and their overall well-being. If we as a society believe that all life has dignity and worth, we should care for children after they are born, as well as provide trauma-informed healthcare for all patients.
In addition, many individuals who are being exploited walk through the doors of a clinic, acute care setting, or emergency department. Research indicates that while being exploited, 68% of exploited persons, both sex and labor, received healthcare at an emergency department, urgent care, or community health clinic, with nearly 97% receiving no information on human trafficking or related social services available to them. Taking a healthcare lens to address human trafficking is critical to addressing this crime. Every patient deserves to be treated in a trauma-formed manner, especially those who are experiencing exploitation. It may be the first time in years that patients are asked how they are doing, receive appropriate services without judgment, or have a meal provided to them. All healthcare providers should receive ongoing training around human trafficking and trauma-informed care. I have personally seen providers who were trauma-informed change countless lives and be able to change the futures of patients experiencing exploitation.
Foster Care:
The foster care system is designed to protect at-risk children. Still, it not only often fails to keep them safe from further harm, but it can frequently perpetuate and increase trauma by failing to provide stable placements, caregivers, and resources for youth after intervening to protect them. There is a troubling connection between foster care and human trafficking, with many children in foster care being at a higher risk of being trafficked. Research indicates that traffickers take advantage of the instability, trauma, and lack of support that children in the foster care system often experience. A significant percentage of youth who fall victim to trafficking have been involved with child welfare at some point in their lives, highlighting a critical gap in care that urgently needs to be addressed.
Children in foster care frequently experience instability, moving between homes, schools, and caregivers. In Texas, more than 300 foster children were documented as Children Without Placement, meaning they had no permanent home. This instability makes these children particularly vulnerable to traffickers, who offer the promise of stability and affection. Traffickers often target children who feel neglected, building trust with them before exploiting their need for love and acceptance.
The foster care system often lacks the necessary safeguards to prevent trafficking. Many children run away from foster care or group homes, and missing foster youth are at high risk of being trafficked. Once they go missing, statistics say, within 48 hours, they’ll be approached by a trafficker who wants to exploit them. The system’s difficulty in tracking children who go missing exacerbates the problem. In many states, efforts to track and identify foster youth who are trafficked remain inadequate, with many cases going undetected.
Research indicates that children in foster care are disproportionately represented among trafficking victims. More than half of child sex trafficking victims reported in Texas had been involved in the foster care system, according to data from the National Foster Youth Institute CASA. Programs that focus on trafficking prevention recognize the urgent need to address this injustice within child welfare systems. Practical prevention efforts require more than just tracking missing children — they involve equipping foster parents and caseworkers with the tools to recognize trafficking risks and intervene early.
Children who experience trauma in foster care are particularly susceptible to traffickers. The instability of foster care, combined with untreated and ongoing trauma, makes these children more likely to be trafficked. Traffickers are adept at manipulating the unmet emotional needs of these children, creating a dependency that makes exiting difficult. As these children age out of foster care, they often find themselves without resources or support, further increasing their vulnerability to trafficking and exploitation.
Addressing the connection between foster care and trafficking requires systemic changes. Providing human trafficking prevention education to youth and training foster parents, caseworkers, and educators on identifying trafficking risks is critical to improving prevention and intervention efforts. Additionally, child welfare agencies must improve their ability to track missing youth, provide stable placement options, and target mental health services to address trauma. The connection between foster care and trafficking underscores a tragic reality: children who are meant to be protected by the foster care system are often left as a target for exploitation.
Kamala Harris:
Harris advocates for increased funding to child welfare services, emphasizing mental health support and education for children in foster care. Her policies aim to create stability for children, reducing their vulnerability to traffickers who prey on those without family support. A key policy implemented by the Biden-Harris administration in 2023 was facilitating kinship care, making it easier for relatives like grandparents or extended family members to foster children and access financial support. This approach reflects a growing recognition that children placed with familial caregivers experience better mental health and stability compared to those placed with non-kin foster families. Conservative critics worry that prospective foster and foster-to-adopt parents with an Evangelical Christian worldview may face discrimination under new 2023 rules mandating LGBTQAI+ children be placed in affirming environments. Evangelical Christians make up a considerable portion of foster parents, with estimates showing that 40% of government-contracted child placement agencies are faith-based. This could reduce the pool of foster parents and strain an already pressured system, leading to fewer placement options for children. The question remains: will religious freedoms and protecting marginalized youth in foster care be at odds under Harris?
Donald Trump:
During Trump’s administration, efforts were made to reduce federal oversight of foster care and promote private-sector involvement, reportedly decreasing the number of children entering the child welfare system. In June 2020, Trump signed the Child Welfare Executive Order, which aimed to reduce child abuse, promote family preservation, and strengthen adoption. Advocates praised it for fostering collaboration between nonprofits, faith-based groups, and private agencies, helping keep families intact and reducing unnecessary foster care placements.
However, critics argue that reducing federal oversight compromised accountability, leaving children more vulnerable to trafficking and inadequate care. They warn that delegating responsibilities to private agencies, some with limited experience or profit motives, led to inconsistencies in care. Opponents say this shift prioritized short-term efficiency over long-term child welfare, leaving marginalized children at greater risk of falling through the cracks and into unsafe environments.
Survivor Commentary
Christine:
Children (birth-18 years) in the foster care system throughout the United States have faced traumatic situations in their young lives. Children have survived neglect, abuse, violence, exploitation, and more. They have been removed from their biological families, their homes, and often the communities in which they live. They usually don’t have birthday or holiday celebrations while in care. In addition, while kinship care is preferred, this procedure can be traumatic to survivors of familial trafficking who may face re-exploitation as a result of being placed with a family member. This was the case of a survivor who experienced familial trafficking, was then placed in a foster home, and was exploited again by the foster family. Placements should be in the child's best interests and not simply following the letter of the law.
While child protection and dignity should be a priority for everyone, it is often the child who suffers in this situation. Children in foster care learn that they will be taken care of only in return for the stipend the state provides, and their belongings are often transported in trash bags. Children in foster care are usually told to move at a moment's notice without the ability to say goodbye or maintain relationships. These are the same narratives frequently used by traffickers, and when told these statements, some child trafficking survivors have become used to these narratives. They also learn how to navigate the system and sometimes can face further abuse, manipulation, violence, and exploitation in the foster home. Children deserve dignity, care, and safety. They often don’t get this opportunity in a foster home. Ashley:
23% of girls in foster care are black girls. Although I wasn’t in foster care, I was placed in group homes as a teenager - which are similar in some aspects. I remember the other girls in the group homes with me and how we all were influencing each other in ways that were not conducive to our healing or safety. I ran from every group home I was placed in and ended up returning to my previous trafficker or a new one. Culturally sound homes for children are necessary, but it is disheartening that a family willing to help and open their doors would need to support a lifestyle they disagree with. Mutual respect is more so what I’d like to see. You don’t have to agree or support a lifestyle to respect people living differently than you. Understanding this could build stronger interpersonal relations as children become adults, as seen in this model. There are all types of people in this world; we all deserve respect, even if we disagree. How could we measure mutual respect in a way that could positively affect policy?
Immigration: Immigrants are at significant risk of trafficking, especially those lacking legal status. Whether labor trafficking or sex trafficking, traffickers exploit their victims with fear of deportation and coerce them into silence. Immigration policies thus play a crucial role in shaping trafficking risk and outcomes. Given the current U.S.–Mexico border situation, immigration is a crucial issue for voters in 2024. According to the Pew Research Center, 80% of Americans believe the government is doing a bad job handling the influx of migrants. The crisis at the southern border remains a contentious topic for both sides of the political coin. Solutions to this issue are varied and contested, proving once again that there is no one-size-fits-all remedy to the complex topic of immigration.
When migrants — especially children — cross the U.S. border, they become vulnerable to trafficking. This risk increases when children arrive alone, without the protection of family or guardians. Recent conservative claims that over 300,000 migrant children are “missing” under the Biden administration, however, misrepresent the situation.
A report from the Department of Homeland Security clarifies that these children are not actively tracked by ICE once released from custody, mainly due to limited resources and lack of interagency coordination. Confusion arises from ICE’s failure to follow up with children released to sponsors (which could be family, traffickers, or strangers), leaving these children unaccounted for. While the lack of tracking raises valid concerns about potential exploitation, it is essential to understand that “missing” does not automatically mean trafficked.
This issue reveals deeper complexities within U.S. trafficking dynamics. Most buyers of sex — often white American men — complicate narratives that unfairly tie trafficking to immigration alone. To truly protect vulnerable migrant children, there must be improved immigration policies and systemic accountability. Strengthening coordination between ICE, Health and Human Services (HHS), and local communities can help safeguard these children from exploitation at every stage of their journey.
The hotline data shows that many identified victims are foreign nationals, although most cases remain unreported or victims' immigration status is unknown. About 20% of trafficking cases involved foreign nationals in labor or sex trafficking. It’s important to note that the majority of immigrants entering the United States are doing so because experiences, policies, or violence in their country of origin are unsafe, unfit, and unstable for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They seek asylum and refuge on our shores, hoping for a better life –with the majority of migrants coming to the U.S. with a legal visa. Immigration policies directly shape trafficking risks and outcomes, demonstrating the urgent need for comprehensive reform. Our vote matters on this issue, but so does our engagement. To learn more about how to help immigrants who have entered your state, please visit: https://hias.org/news/five-ways-americans-can-welcome-refugees
Kamala Harris:
Harris supports comprehensive immigration reform, focusing on pathways to citizenship and protections for Dreamers. Under the Biden-Harris administration, over 10 million migrants are projected to cross the southern border by the end of the fiscal year. Her policies aim to reduce vulnerability by offering legal protections, enabling immigrants to seek help without fear of deportation or exploitation by traffickers. Opponents of these policies fear that this type of reform will encourage traffickers, increase crime, and empower drug trafficking across the United States. Critics contend that these reforms, while well-intentioned, have inadvertently incentivized illegal crossings by signaling leniency in enforcement. The increased flow of migrants has placed considerable strain on local communities and federal agencies responsible for border management. Opponents warn that the surge could lead to rising crime rates and empower cartels that exploit weakened border controls to traffic people and substances like fentanyl, which has seen record surges in recent months. This debate highlights the difficult balance between humanitarian objectives and the need to ensure national security and public safety.
Donald Trump:
Trump’s immigration policies emphasized stricter border enforcement, including family separations and travel bans. Republicans are quick to point out that the Biden Administration routinely separates families, too. While aimed at national security, these policies increased trafficking risks by forcing migrants into dangerous situations. Critics argue that the focus on border policing left trafficking survivors without access to the protection and support they needed to escape exploitation. Robust policies are essential — not just as reactions to exploitation but as proactive tools to prevent it before it begins. Effective reform tackles vulnerabilities at their root, ensuring that no one falls through the cracks in the “land of the free.”A more hopeful future starts with legislation that puts people above profits, establishing protections, closing loopholes, and investing in preventive solutions to make exploitation impossible. In the end, proper prevention requires transforming systems to safeguard lives and building a world where trafficking has no place to thrive.
Survivor Commentary
Christine:
Immigration in recent years has been an issue that has caused division and left many vulnerable to abuses, including exploitation. The United States is a country of immigrants; Indigenous Peoples are the original residents of this country. The majority of immigrants have come here fleeing abuses, violence, war, and poverty in their own country. These individuals are often vulnerable to exploitation as a result of being alone in a country they don’t know, being unable to speak the language, and not being knowledgeable about the country's systems.
In my work in crisis services, some immigrants were trafficked after arriving in this country with a legal visa. One individual thought they were being paid fairly, working at a restaurant but was only paid $3 an hour and working twelve-hour days with only one week off. Another person was coerced into being a nanny, and their passport was withheld, and told they would be a US citizen after working for two years. Yet, another child trafficking survivor was brought here legally, and the sponsor kept the child in their home to help with cleaning, cooking, and child care; since this was normal in her country, she didn’t think anything was wrong.
Overwhelmingly, immigrants desire a better life for their families and children and seek to protect them. They want their children to do well in school, prioritize family and their communities, and try to get healthy food on their tables. I live in an immigrant community and have observed hard-working, family-oriented individuals. Children are respectful to the intergenerational communities in which they live. I have witnessed parents prioritizing education and taking care of one another. We must remember the dignity and image of God in each of these individuals and remember the words of Mother Teresa, “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”
While no policy or president can single-handedly address trafficking and exploitation, we each have the power to confront these injustices head-on within our own communities. We can work together to create real stability, security, and dignity for vulnerable populations by identifying the gaps that put people at risk. True change begins with each of us. So, how will you be part of the solution?
Whether you support your local shelter, offer low-income families access to a food pantry, ask tough questions at a pregnancy crisis center, step up as a foster parent, or help immigrants learn English, there’s a role for everyone. Change happens when we each do our part. From all of us at The Abolitionist Collective, we implore you to be the change that builds a world without exploitation.
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