News & Events

Continuing a tradition begun in 2010, former President J. R. Biden Jr. proclaimed January 2025 as NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH. He reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to addressing human trafficking both domestically and internationally, emphasizing that this serious crime primarily affects society’s most vulnerable populations. He underscored various governmental measures, including legislative initiatives, public awareness campaigns such as the “blue campaigns,” and the establishment of the National Human Trafficking Hotline to facilitate the reporting of cases by victims and witnesses.

It is notable, however, that his remarks did not specifically reference minors as part of the vulnerable groups, despite existing legislation such as the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, which contains targeted provisions for them. Instead, the speech focused on the challenges faced by “racial and ethnic minorities, women and girls, LGBTQI+ individuals, and other marginalized groups”.

IMMIGRATION & CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT (I.C.E.) have arrested 214 child sex offenders between January and July 2025 as part of their crackdown on illegal immigrants in the Houston, Texas, area. 

This number already exceeds the total number of arrests previously made during the entire year of 2024, which was only 211 people. 

These astonishing results, according to ICE officials, are the result of a strengthened teamwork strategy involving several federal agencies sharing information and expertise.

The CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL ACTION CONFERENCE (CPAC) organized a third international annual conference about human trafficking occurring on American soil and in the rest of the world. The main purpose of this meeting was  to stress that the US state and federal governments had to strengthen prosecutions against traffickers designated as "terrorists", but also to give a new lease on life (a "second chance") to surviving victims. To this end, it encourages the adoption of laws that would exempt these victims from criminal liability for the crimes their tormentors forced them to commit. Special emphasis was also placed on international strategies and collaboration to combat these crimes.

Officials such as the Acting Director of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and "Border Czar" Tom Homan, law enforcement officers, states attorneys and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, attended the event. The latter warned that there have never been as many victims of human trafficking as there are today despite the recent adoption of several laws on the subject. She praised the daily and remarkable work of her department's investigators in combating these crimes, regardless of the nature of the trafficking or the difficulties on the ground. She also proudly announced the mandatory return of DNA testing for families claiming kinship with minor children accompanying them during border crossings. Regarding more traditional tools, she emphasized the importance of defining offenses related to human trafficking, the importance of treating and financially assisting young survivors, and recalled that she strived to achieve these objectives when she was Governor of South Dakota, her home state. She further noted the importance of the recent increase in ICE patrol officers brought by the recent Big Beautiful Bill, as well as the requirement to conduct criminal background checks on all sponsors of unaccompanied minors or individuals seeking to become sponsors. She finally stressed that her administration has already found 10,000 trafficked children of the missing 300,000.

Some other speakers insisted on the rule of the three cardinal principles known as the 3 Ps – Protection, Pursuit, Prevention – and even extended it to a (private) Partnership and to public Policies that they consider essential to systematically integrate into their actions. 

Governor Kay Ivey of the great State of ALABAMA signed into law House Bill 42  called THE SOUND OF FREEDOM ACT elevating Alabama’s anti human trafficking law to become the toughest in America.  It strengthens the repression of perpetrators of trafficking of minors, in the hope that these measures will also have a deterrent effect.

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April has been proclaimed NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH  by President Donald J.Trump.

This initiative originates from  1983 when President Ronald Reagan stressed the necessity of raising awareness  among families and general population  about all abuses committed  on children. The Office on Child Abuse and Neglect continued to encourage and promote  prevention on a  multidisciplinary basis. 

President Donald J. Trump has also followed this path. He particularly underlined the importance of supporting the population through a good understanding of the child's requirements in terms of physical and psychological integrity, and to give a total support for the efforts of professionals working in this area. This piece of legislation is crucial because it takes into account the fragility and extreme vulnerability of Child and Youth, which unfortunately make it possible for offences against minors to be committed. 

President Donald J. Trump just signed into law the TAKE IT DOWN ACT (“Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act”) criminalizing the publication of non-consensual intimate imagery of adults or minors, including AI-generated images. 

This new law also requires social media and other websites to remove such images within 48 hours of receiving notice from the victim. It is an importance piece of legislation increasing the criminal protection of Child and Youth.

Special celebration of the NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH 2025 by First Lady Melania Trump and President Trump in the White House gardens. They welcomed foster and adoptive families, and organized the visit of the presidential house, including a viewing of the President’s Marine One departure on the South Lawn. 

President Trump stressed that 360,000 children and youth are still in need of this crucial help. He also announced that $25 million have been secured in President Trump’s FY26 budget to finance housing and support for youth transitioning out of foster care, following the request of the First Lady. This additional measure, overseen by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), should be commended because it addresses the high rates of homelessness among the 20,000 young people who turn 18 each year and are no longer eligible to remain in the foster care system normally reserved for minors. From now on, up to the age of 25, these young adults will receive assistance with things like rent payments and education.

The celebration of the NATIONAL FOSTER CARE MONTH during the month of May was initiated in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan to acknowledge the contributions of foster caregivers and to stress the needs of children in foster care. This tribute was continued by the presidents who succeeded him. 

Foster care is an important alternative to defailing  families or to the absence of parents. Rehousing Child and Youth victims and providing them with a new living environment in caring homes is indeed essential to avoid worsening their trauma and preventing them from polyvictimization.

NATIONAL MISSING CHILDREN'S DAY  is a commemoration brought by the Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention (OJJDP) since President Ronald Reagan's proclamation on May 25, 1983. This special day aims raising awareness about child safety and honors the efforts of agencies, organizations, and individuals to recover missing children. This event was established in the memory of 6-year-old Etan Patz whose body has never been found although his killer has been identified and convicted. 

President Donald J. Trump announced his commitment to returning missing children to their families in the near future. He explained that securing the southern border against criminals, vigorously prosecuting all types of child abusers, and designating cartels as Foreign terrorist organizations and Specially designated global terrorists will put an end to child trafficking and smuggling and enable his administration to recover missing children.

President Trump also reaffirmed his support for law enforcement in their fight against the victimization and exploitation of Child and Youth, and reminded the public that this scourge is not inevitable.