On September 9, at a daylong symposium hosted by sister agencies U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, CBP Commissioner W. Ralph Basham and ICE Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers, as well as DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, spoke out about the importance of ending this heinous violation of basic human rights.

Leaders Take a Strong Stand
Secretary Chertoff led the symposium by expressing the Department’s strong dedication to eradicating human trafficking. In his words, “Ending the scourge of human trafficking is one of the most important moral and social imperatives facing our country, our society, in fact, the entire world,” said Secretary Chertoff. “Victims of human trafficking in many cases do not realize they are being led down a path that will lead to their eventual enslavement. I believe we can crack this issue; I believe we can crack it in the same way that we’ve cracked other organized criminal activity...”

In his remarks, Commissioner Basham emphasized the importance of partnership in combating human trafficking, stating that “we all have a moral obligation to end these hideous crimes against humanity by working together in every way we can.”

Commissioner Basham also highlighted the critical role that CBP plays in combating human trafficking, noting that “our officers are frequently the first people these victims will see and there is a small window of opportunity to detect those who are being trafficked. Once that window closes, it may be too late to intervene and save them.”

For her part, Myers emphasized the point that "no person should ever be forced to live in a world of fear, isolation and servitude; particularly in a country that prides itself on its freedoms.” She went on to say: “I want to be clear that ICE is committed to protecting those who cannot protect themselves."

CBP and ICE regularly work together, as well as with other government and non-government organizations, to combat human slavery.

A Comprehensive Agenda
In addition to remarks by DHS leaders, the symposium featured experts providing reports, insights and best practices regarding diverse issues connected to human trafficking. These included:

• U.S. government activities to combat trafficking in persons
• Congressional efforts to combat human trafficking
• An international approach to combating trafficking
• U.S. law enforcement cooperation in combating trafficking in persons
• Effective methods for raising awareness about trafficking
• Protecting victims
• Forced labor and corporate social responsibility
• The link between trafficking and child sex tourism

These subjects were discussed by top leaders within CBP and ICE, in addition to human trafficking experts from the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Department of Labor, the Office of the Governor of California, the Polaris Project, the Protection Project, Ayuda, and the University of Rhode Island.

A Renewed Commitment
Human trafficking is a persistent and pervasive international crime, with up to 800,000 people sold across international borders every year, and up to 17,500 brought into the U.S. alone, according to Department of State estimates.

CBP hopes that the gravity of this situation, together with the situational awareness provided by the symposium’s speakers, inspired all participants to redouble their efforts to protect unsuspecting individuals from falling victim to potential traffickers.