A Whole-of-Government Approach

The Department of Justice is committed to a whole-of government collaborative approach to combating human trafficking, relying extensively on its robust partnerships across the government and with non-governmental organizations. DOJ participates in the President’s Interagency Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking and Senior Policy Operating Group, interagency coordination bodies created by the TVPA and chaired by the State Department’s Office to Monitory and Combat Trafficking in Persons.

Read about the many federal government agencies working to combat human trafficking.

U.S. Department of Justice

• Learn about the offices at the Department of Justice that are working to combat human trafficking.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

• Administration for Children & Families
  The Office on Trafficking in Persons at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) is committed to ensuring that victims of all forms of human trafficking – adults and children; foreign nationals, U.S. citizens, and lawful permanent residents; survivors of labor and commercial sexual exploitation – have access to the support they need to foster health and well-being.
• Runaway and Homeless Youth Program
  Through the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program, the Family and Youth Services Bureau, Administration of Children & Families, supports street outreach, emergency shelters, and longer-term transitional living and maternity group home programs to serve and protect these young people.
• The Family Violence Prevention and Services Program
  The Family Violence Prevention and Services Program of the Family and Youth Services Bureau, at the Administration of Children & Families, administers the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, the primary federal funding stream dedicated to the support of emergency shelter and related assistance for victims of domestic violence and their children.
• Office of Refugee Resettlement
  The Office of Refugee Settlement (ORR), at the Administration of Children & Families, helps refugees and other special populations, such as adult victims of severe forms of trafficking, obtain economic and social self-sufficiency in the United States. ORR is responsible for certifying adult victims of human trafficking so that they may receive federally funded benefits and services to the same extent as refugees. ORR manages the Campaign to Rescue and Restore Victims of Human Trafficking - a public awareness Web site to combat human trafficking—and supports the National Human Trafficking Resource Center - a referral hotline that connects victims with programs in their local area.

U.S. Department of State

• Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
  Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons conducts awareness-raising activities, diplomacy with other countries, and funding for international anti-trafficking initiatives.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

• Center for Countering Human Trafficking
  The mission of the Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking is to advance counter human trafficking law enforcement operations, protect victims, and enhance prevention efforts by aligning DHS’ capabilities and expertise.
• Blue Campaign
  The Blue Campaign provides information on training and outreach, how traffickers operate, and victim assistance to help keep the public informed.
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services adjudicates applications for T and U visas, which are available to foreign national victims of trafficking. Lawyers and advocates may check on the status of an already submitted case by calling the Violence Against Women Act Unit Helpline at 802-527-4888.
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
  U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the largest investigative agency within the Department of Homeland Security, enforces a wide range of crimes related to border security, including investigations of human smuggling and human trafficking.

U.S. Department of Defense

• Combating Trafficking in Persons
  The Combating Trafficking in Persons Program Office establishes policy and ensures that the services, combatant commands, and defense agencies have the necessary tools to prevent trafficking.

U.S. Department of Labor

• Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking
  The Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking publishes reports on international child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking and provides funding to combat international child labor.
• Wage and Hour Division
  The Wage and Hour Division enforces federal labor laws including the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers Protection Act and assists with human trafficking investigations involving the violation of these laws.

U.S. Department of Education

• Office of Safe and Healthy Students
  The Office of Safe and Healthy Students provides information for schools on human trafficking. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

• Human Trafficking and EEO Law
  This page on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's website provides information on when force, fraud, or coercion are used to compel labor or exploit workers, traffickers and employers may be violating not only criminal laws but also the anti-discrimination laws enforced by the EEOC.