U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) is the sponsor of new bipartisan legislation that would better coordinate and train local and federal enforcement personnel in the nationwide fight against human trafficking.
The crime of human trafficking, which has been reported in all 50 states, the territories of the United States and the District of Columbia, occurs when adults or children are exploited and forced, tricked or coerced into forced labor, commercial sex or other purposes.
Since the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 became law, human traffickers have launched increasingly sophisticated schemes to increase the scope of their activities and the number of their victims, according to the text in Rep. Paulsen’s new bill, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017, H.R. 4601.
“We must remain diligent in the effort to end sex trafficking and bolster the tools we have to help those in need,” Paulsen said on Dec. 15.
Specifically, H.R. 4601 calls for federal agencies to promptly report human-trafficking data to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also would report annually on human-trafficking trends to several congressional committees in both the Senate and House.
Paulsen introduced the bill on Dec. 7 and U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) is cosponsoring the proposed legislation.
“For far too long, America’s criminal justice system has failed to protect those who have fallen victim to human trafficking,” Rep. Moore said last week.
“In order to substantively combat this pervasive and complex issue, local and federal law enforcement officials must have the tools and training necessary to identify and respond to human trafficking in all of its forms,” said Moore.
H.R. 4601 also would authorize the Office of Victim Assistance within the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations division to conduct myriad functions. Those include providing funding and guidance, training and coordination to victim assistance personnel throughout the division and ICE, who will support both victims and witnesses; collecting data; collaborating across federal, state, local and tribal entities; and establishing policies, among many other functions.
The bill also advocates for a victim-centered approach to combating trafficking with improved law-enforcement training and would support improved victim screening procedures, among other provisions.
“When human trafficking survivors are freed from this modern-day slavery, we need to make sure these victims have the resources they need to get back on their feet and get the justice they deserve,” Paulsen said.
Throughout his time in Congress, Paulsen has consistently fought trafficking and advocated for supporting and assisting trafficking victims. He has written several laws, including the Stop Exploitation Through Trafficking Act; the Recovering Missing Children Act; and the Child Sex Trafficking Data and Response Act.
H.R. 4601 is awaiting consideration by the House Judiciary Committee, the House Education and the Workforce Committee, and the House Foreign Affairs Committee.