Secretary Noem & President Trump Take Sledgehammer to Human Trafficking Networks Thanks to Robust Defense of the Homeland, Crackdown on Cartels

Secretary Noem & President Trump Take Sledgehammer to Human Trafficking Networks Thanks to Robust Defense of the Homeland, Crackdown on Cartels

WASHINGTON - President Donald J. Trump has declared January 2026 "National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month." Under the leadership of the United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have taken a sledgehammer to human-trafficking networks and are dismantling the criminal organizations behind this evil, while protecting victims of this modern-day slavery across the nation.

On Day One, President Trump directed DHS to prioritize eradicating the scourge of human trafficking (Executive Order 14165, Securing Our Borders; Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion). Through the President's Homeland Security Task Force, co-led by Secretary Noem, and the innovative DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking - launched during President Trump's first term - DHS leads the federal government in dismantling sex trafficking and forced labor networks - ensuring these networks face swift and severe consequences.

"The brave men and women of DHS are the best in the world at going after traffickers. They are always able to track down those who are trafficking individuals, find the ringleaders, and rip that evil off by its head," said Secretary Kristi Noem. "I'm so thankful that I get the chance to lead individuals like that and agents who get up every day to help save our children and to save women and men from the kind of slavery that we've seen."

Below is a sample of victories against human trafficking since January 20, 2025.

Locating Unaccompanied Minors Across the Country

Secretary Noem is leading efforts to prevent and stop the exploitation of the 450,000 unaccompanied children the Biden administration lost or placed with unvetted sponsors. Many of the children who came across the border unaccompanied were allowed to be placed with sponsors who were actually smugglers and sex traffickers. The Trump administration has located 132,720 of these children and counting.

In November 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) launched an initiative with our state and local law enforcement 287(g) partners aimed at protecting the 450,000 unaccompanied children (UAC) illegally smuggled over the border and placed with unvetted sponsors under the Biden administration.

This new law enforcement partnership, known as the UAC Safety Verification Initiative, represents ICE's commitment to protect vulnerable children from sexual abuse and exploitation. The primary focus of this initiative is to conduct welfare checks on these children to ensure that they are safe and not being exploited.

Below are some of the criminals arrested thanks to ICE:

• In Arizona, ICE arrested a Guinean alien sponsor who had been arrested by Arizona law enforcement for felony aggravated assault.
• In Florida:
  • ICE arrested a Honduran alien sponsor who had been convicted by Florida authorities for assault.
  • ICE arrested a Honduran alien sponsor who had been criminally arrested by Florida law enforcement for larceny, fraud, and counterfeiting.
  • ICE arrested a Honduran alien sponsor who had been criminally arrested by Florida law enforcement for attempted robbery with a weapon.
  • ICE arrested a Guatemalan alien sponsor who had been arrested by Florida law enforcement for felony hit and run and driving without a license.
• In Georgia, ICE arrested a Guatemalan alien sponsor who had been convicted of domestic violence by Georgia authorities.
• In Maryland, ICE arrested a Guatemalan alien sponsor who had been arrested by Maryland law enforcement for rape of the unaccompanied child.
• In Massachusetts, ICE arrested an Ecuadorian alien sponsor who had been criminally arrested for enticement of a child under 16 and possession of child sexual abuse material.

Taking Down Cartels and Criminal Networks

Under the strong leadership of President Trump, the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is taking down Foreign Terrorist Organizations like Tren de Aragua and MS-13 that profit from the sex trafficking of women and girls. DHS is taking on these violent criminals and holding them accountable with swift and severe consequences.

Since August 2025, HSTF operations have resulted in the arrests of thousands of individuals from the Sinaloa Cartel, Jalisco Nuevo Genaracion (CJNG), MS-13, Tren de Aragua, and other gangs profiting off of human trafficking.

In September, an HSTF operation led to the arrest of a CJNG-affiliated baby-trafficking ringleader, Martha Alicia Mendez Aguilar, also known as "La Diabla," in Juarez, Mexico.

The joint operation, executed by Mexican law enforcement officers, disrupted an infant-trafficking network led by "La Diabla," that lured pregnant women to remote locations, performed illegal cesarean procedures, harvested the organs from the mothers' bodies, and sold the newborns to couples in the U.S. for up to 250,000 pesos.

Blocking Traffickers from Preying on World Cup, Super Bowl, and America 250 Events

As the 2026 World Cup, the Super Bowl, and numerous America 250 events approach, DHS is partnering with host cities nationwide and internationally to prevent traffickers from using the world's biggest sporting event and other popular events as cover for their evil operations.

Spreading Awareness & Providing Resources to Victims and Advocates

Launched in the first Trump administration in 2020, the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking coordinates the efforts of 16 DHS offices and components to combat human trafficking through law enforcement operations, victim protection and assistance, intelligence and analysis, partnership and engagement, and public education and training programs.

The Blue Campaign is dedicated to raising awareness about human trafficking, empowering individuals and communities to recognize and report the signs of trafficking, and providing critical resources to combat this issue.

The Trump administration's message is crystal clear: human traffickers will be caught, prosecuted, and punished. As we observe National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, DHS reaffirms its commitment as America's frontline defender against these heinous crimes.

To report suspected human trafficking to federal law enforcement, call 1-866-347-2423.

To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).