Federal efforts to combat sex trafficking have significantly weakened in recent years, with prosecutions reaching their lowest level since 2010 amid staffing shortages, funding cuts, and shifting enforcement priorities, according to interviews with former prosecutors, current agents, and victim advocates, as well as an analysis of federal court records.
The Justice Department charged 73 individuals with sex trafficking through the first half of this year, representing a 22% decrease compared with the average filings during the same period over the past three years. Charges related to child pornography and Mann Act violations, which target interstate prostitution, also declined by 3% and 18%, respectively. These decreases reflect a broader reorientation of federal law enforcement under President Donald Trump, whose administration has reduced agency budgets and emphasized immigration enforcement, including mass deportations.
Former prosecutors and current investigators cite the reassignment of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents to immigration duties as a key factor limiting resources dedicated to sex trafficking cases. Several offices reported that agent shortages have made it difficult to find prosecutors to pursue cases, while many experienced sex-trafficking prosecutors have left federal service in recent years. According to sources, such staffing disruptions hinder investigations and compromise fragile relationships with victims, many of whom lack stable housing or communication access.
Alessandra Serano, the Justice Department’s newly appointed national coordinator for child exploitation and human trafficking, acknowledged the challenges posed by attrition but stated the department remains committed to combating sex trafficking. She suggested the drop in prosecutions may also result from prosecutors dedicating extensive time to complex, high-profile cases underway, reducing capacity for new investigations. Serano added that efforts to recruit and fill vacancies are ongoing.
The department’s focus on immigration enforcement has also strained support services for trafficking victims. Federal grants to organizations that provide emergency housing, counseling, and other critical aid have been delayed or frozen under efforts to curtail federal spending. Advocates report that some groups have had to scale back or cease programs due to funding shortfalls.
Another critical issue is the declining use of T-visas, which offer legal immigration status to trafficking victims who cooperate with law enforcement. Data from the Department of Homeland Security show 354 T-visas were approved in the first half of the fiscal year, approximately half the typical pace observed over the past decade. Some U.S. Attorney’s offices have reportedly stopped supporting T-visa applications, while immigration attorneys say victims cooperating in sex-trafficking cases have been detained by immigration authorities, undermining criminal investigations and deterring cooperation.
Department of Justice officials maintain that most victim assistance grants from the previous year have been awarded and that remaining applications are under review to ensure alignment with administrative priorities. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security reiterated the agency’s commitment to both immigration enforcement and combating human trafficking but declined to comment on the impact of agent reassignments on sex-trafficking cases. An FBI representative noted that agents transferred to immigration-related assignments continue to work on sex-trafficking investigations.
Human trafficking experts warn that the erosion of staffing, funding, and victim trust risks destabilizing the nation’s anti-trafficking infrastructure. Jean Bruggeman, co-executive director of the Freedom Network USA, described the current situation as reaching a critical tipping point, warning that rebuilding effective enforcement and support systems could take years.