Washington, D.C. – The House of Representatives passed Congressman Tim Walberg’s bipartisan bill, the Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, by a unanimous vote. Introduced along with Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP-00) and and Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-MO-02), H.R. 443 ensures the Department of Labor effectively trains its employees to recognize and respond to the illegal trade of people for exploitation or commercial gain.
“The passage of the bipartisan Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act is a major win in the fight to end the scourge,” said Rep. Walberg. “Due to the failure of multiple agencies to track unaccompanied minors crossing the open border, more than 85,000 children are lost within our country. This humanitarian crisis is unacceptable and highlights the need for legislation like H.R. 443, which ensures Department of Labor staff are educated on how to effectively detect human trafficking and establishes clear reporting guidelines. Today’s strong bipartisan passage shows a willingness to better combat human trafficking, and we hope the Senate will share this willingness with a swift passage in their chamber.”
“Sadly, Michigan is not immune from the despicable crime of human trafficking, and in 2021, Monroe County launched a task force (VIPER) to crack down on it and be the voice for victims,” said Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough. “Along with local instances, we deal with the I-75 corridor, which connects major population hubs and can be used to transport victims. I applaud Congressman Walberg’s efforts, working across the aisle to assist us by establishing clear reporting guidelines and identification abilities for Wage and Hour Division staff, along with his continued efforts to work with us to highlight this criminal enterprise.”
“Trafficking happens through force, fraud or coercion,” said Kelly Castleberry, a Lenawee County resident and veteran anti-trafficking advocate. “Fraud and coercion being the most commonly used and the most difficult to prosecute. The most vulnerable populations are the most easily defrauded and or coerced. Those are the ones that fall through the gaps. They are often the children, the lonely, and those illegally trafficked across our borders. Congressman Walberg has continued a strong bipartisan approach to protect vulnerable populations, protect victims and survivors of trafficking, and provide continued education of federal agencies to identify and stop human trafficking.”
Provisions of Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act include:
- Directing the Department of Labor to educate appropriate staff on how to effectively detect instances of human trafficking
- Ensuring personnel regularly receive information on current trends and best practices
- Allowing flexible education options, including in-class and virtual learning options
- Establishing a clear course of action for referring suspected instances of human trafficking to law enforcement
- Requiring a report to Congress on the implementation of the education and the processes used by the Department to measure and track the agencies’ response to human trafficking
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