Since taking office in 2017, the Trump administration has claimed that its human rights agenda centers on human trafficking. 

But when it comes to identifying the reality of trafficking inside the United States and fighting it, these claims are contradicted by many of the administration’s policies and much of its rhetoric. In many key ways, the Trump administration’s approach to trafficking in the United States has made matters worse for the most vulnerable communities.

Family separation at the border creates ideal circumstances for traffickers. “We are seeing many of [the] exact situations that TVPA and other policy changes were supposed to address,” said Michelle Brané, the senior director of migrant rights and justice at the Women’s Refugee Commission.