President George W. Bush is congratulated by Attorney
General John Ashcroft and Florida Governor Jeb Bush after making remarks at the
National Training Conference on Combating Human Trafficking in Tampa,
Florida on Friday July 16, 2004.
Presidential Action
President Bush visited Tampa, Florida, to address the first
national training conference on Human Trafficking in the United
States: Rescuing Women and Children from Slavery.
The President continues to advance the fight against trafficking
in persons, which is a modern day form of slavery. Human trafficking is a serious problem in the United States and throughout the world. Each year, an estimated 600,000-800,000 men, women, and children are trafficked against their will across international borders 14,500-17,500 of whom are trafficked into the United States. Victimsof trafficking are recruited, transported, or sold into all forms of
forced labor and servitude, including prostitution, sweatshops, domestic labor, farming, and child armies. Approximately 80 percent of trafficking victims are female, and 70 percent of those female victims are trafficked for the commercial sex industry.
The President has taken strong action to combat trafficking at
home and abroad. He supported and signed the Trafficking Victims
Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 and the PROTECT Act, both of
which strengthen the tools law enforcement authorities use to combat
trafficking crimes and ensure that victims of trafficking are rescued
and supported. Since 2001, the Bush Administration has provided more
than $295 million to support anti-trafficking programs in more than 120
countries.
New Steps to Provide Assistance to Victims and Combat Human
Trafficking
Support for Local Anti-Trafficking Efforts in American
Communities. The President announced Department of Justice (DOJ)
funding to support and implement local efforts to identify, rescue, and
restore victims of trafficking. DOJ will make available $14 million to
law enforcement agencies and service providers, and as many as 25
communities across the country will be eligible to receive this
funding. In addition, DOJ awarded $4.5 million today to nine local
organizations that are running shelters where victims of trafficking
can take refuge in the interval between rescue and the determination of
eligibility for public assistance and other benefits.
Cooperation to Combat Trafficking. To ensure the smooth and
timely delivery of benefits and services to trafficking victims
and comprehensive investigations and prosecutions, the Departments of
Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Justice are working
together to share information and provide benefits to victims most in
need. In addition, the charter for the Human Smuggling and Trafficking
Center went into effect July 2004 and brings together representatives
from law enforcement, intelligence, and diplomacy to combat alien
smuggling, trafficking in persons, and terrorist travel networks.
Comprehensive Anti-Trafficking State Laws. While many states have
laws that address various aspects of the crime of trafficking in
persons, comprehensive anti-trafficking statutes are needed to deter
and punish the wide range of coercive tactics used by traffickers. To
meet this need, DOJ has drafted a model anti-trafficking statute for
states. Texas, Washington, Minnesota, Missouri, and Florida already
have comprehensive state trafficking laws.
Support for Anti-Trafficking Initiatives Abroad. In his address
to the United Nations in 2003, President Bush announced a $50
million initiative to combat trafficking in persons. The countries
receiving funding include Brazil, Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Mexico,
Moldova, Sierra Leone and Tanzania.
Assistant Attorney General Alexander Acosta answered your questions on human trafficking.
Read the Full Transcript.
DHS Assistant Secretary Mike Garcia discussed Operation Predator. Read the Full Transcript.
John R. Miller discussed the emerging human rights issue of the 21st century. Read the Full Transcript.
