States, including Michigan, push to combat human trafficking amid federal funding cuts
MIAMI, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 06: Posters urging people to report sex trafficking are seen at a metromover rail stop on November 06, 2019 in Miami, Florida. The posters and other forms of media including a Metromover rail car wrap is part of a campaign by local, state, and federal agencies and partners to combat sex trafficking leading up to and beyond Super Bowl LIV. (Photo by)
For help, call 1-888-373-7888 or text *233733 for the 24/7 National Human Trafficking Hotline, a national, toll-free hotline.
States are moving to strengthen protections against human trafficking, but some advocates warn that federal funding cuts could undermine efforts to support survivors.
This year, lawmakers in several states have introduced bills to expand education, strengthen penalties and fund survivor support. But some victim service providers say these efforts might fall short, with millions of dollars in federal cuts threatening programs that help trafficking victims heal and rebuild their lives.
Human trafficking is the exploitation of people through force, fraud or coercion for the purposes of sex or labor. It often involves victims who lack control over their circumstances — whether due to threats, manipulation or economic dependency — and can occur in both illicit and legal industries, from commercial sex work to agriculture, domestic work and construction.
A poll released in March by the University of California, Irvine and the anti-trafficking nonprofit EverFree found that while nearly 99% of Americans view trafficking as a global and national issue, only about 80% believe it's a problem in their own state — a gap that hinders local prevention efforts, experts say.
The poll, which was conducted in October, also found that just 19% of respondents ranked human trafficking as a top national concern.
'Because it's such a dark, challenging issue, there's a dissonance that happens where you don't want to believe that [trafficking] happens in your community,' Kelsey Morgan, the CEO and co-founder of EverFree, said in an interview. 'To admit or to acknowledge that it's happening in your community requires action.'
Lawmakers across the country are considering or have already passed a range of bills this year aimed at curbing human trafficking and supporting survivors. Many approaches focus on prevention, education, tougher penalties and expanding support services.
In Michigan, a pair of new laws will allow certain hearsay statements from trafficking survivors to be admitted in court and permit relevant prior acts to be used as evidence in human trafficking cases. In March, Utah enacted a law that increases criminal penalties for sex and labor trafficking offenses. In Tennessee, a new law set to take effect next year requires tattoo artists to complete up to one hour of training on recognizing and reporting signs of trafficking.
In California, lawmakers are considering a bill that would establish a 'Survivor Support Fund' and criminalize loitering with the intent to purchase sex. The Oregon House passed legislation in April targeting illicit massage businesses by expanding enforcement authority and increasing criminal penalties and fines.
Other states are taking steps to raise awareness and improve accountability. The Florida and Montana legislatures passed bills mandating trafficking prevention education and training in schools. Both bills await action by governors.
To admit or to acknowledge that it's happening in your community requires action.
– Kelsey Morgan, the CEO and co-founder of EverFree
A bill in Indiana would require gas stations, rest areas and welcome centers to display trafficking awareness posters, and mandate training for employees at food and lodging establishments. It passed in April and was sent to the governor.
Lawmakers in Florida and Georgia also have passed legislation that aims to strengthen criminal trafficking penalties, particularly in trafficking cases involving children or people with disabilities.
Minnesota is weighing several new proposals, including one to increase oversight of adult entertainment venues and massage parlors. The governor signed into law another measure that will require biennial legislative reports on the state's child trafficking prevention efforts.
Funding to help victims recover
Some advocates say the legislation nationwide reflects growing awareness of trafficking's scope — but caution that without consistent funding for victim services and a deeper public understanding of the issue, laws alone won't be enough to support survivors or prevent trafficking.
In late April, the U.S. Department of Justice canceled 365 federal public safety grants — including some that supported anti-human trafficking programs — disrupting a wide range of services for crime victims, local police departments and correctional facilities.
Since then, the department has restored at least two of the canceled grants — one supporting a national crime victim hotline and another funding a national domestic violence network.
The cuts, which totaled $811 million, were administered through the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs, which awarded roughly $3 billion in competitive grants during the 2024 fiscal year, according to Reuters.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the cuts in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that the department has cut 'millions of dollars in wasteful grants.' She also signaled that additional cuts may be on the way.
Underreported to police
Human trafficking data in the United States is limited, but available figures suggest the problem is both widespread and underreported.
FBI data shows that in 2023, there were 2,584 reported trafficking incidents and 3,117 identified victims — a sharp increase from just 22 incidents in 2013, when the agency began tracking trafficking through its Uniform Crime Reporting system. The rise is largely attributed to more law enforcement agencies participating in the data collection system.
Separate data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which offers support to victims, identified 9,619 trafficking cases in 2023 — up from 5,551 in 2015. In 2023, the hotline received more than 30,000 tips, or 'signals.'
Experts and advocates emphasize that both the hotline and the crime data capture only a fraction of trafficking incidents, given the hidden nature of the crime and the barriers victims face in reporting to police.
Although national data struggles to capture the full scope of trafficking, Minnesota is among the states that have taken extra steps to build their own data collection systems to better understand the issue and support victims.
Its efforts have drawn attention for state officials' focus on both urban and rural communities, as well as on Native populations that often face barriers to accessing services.
Experts say it's a common misconception that trafficking is primarily an urban issue — in reality, it can and does happen everywhere.
Still, some victims — including boys and men — may be overlooked.
'Sometimes for male youth, they are not identified as victims. They may show up in the criminal justice system as defendants or they may be adjudicated as juvenile delinquents,' said Caroline Palmer, the human trafficking prevention director at the Minnesota Department of Health. 'There's not really a close look at what might be happening in the background in terms of their victimization and trafficking exploitation.'
Palmer noted that while Minnesota offers programming for all genders, some male-identifying people may not feel comfortable with certain services, highlighting the need for more tailored support to meet everyone's unique needs.
More than three-quarters of respondents to the UC Irvine-EverFree poll said being a woman greatly increases the risk of trafficking, but only 2% of respondents said the same about men — despite the fact that trafficking affects people of all genders.
Public perceptions about survivors were also influenced by the victim's age: While 83% of respondents believe minors who are trafficked are always victims, only 61% say the same about adults — a gap that, advocates warn, can contribute to the criminalization of adult survivors.
Stateline reporter Amanda Hernández can be reached at ahernandez@stateline.org.
Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org.
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