OPINION:
Every year on World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the world pauses to acknowledge a horror that never sleeps: The buying and selling of human beings. But recognizing evil is not enough. We must be willing to stand up and fight it.
The United States is the world’s largest consumer of trafficked persons, and Hispanics are among its most frequent victims. That’s not just an alarming fact. It’s a national disgrace.
Human trafficking is a global, multi-billion-dollar criminal enterprise driven by the exploitation of vulnerable people — women, children, and men alike. From forced labor to sexual exploitation and even body harvesting, traffickers prey on desperation and thrive in the shadows of weak leadership, broken systems, and a culture that too often looks the other way.
We refuse to look away because human beings are not for sale. Guided by President Donald J. Trump’s America First vision, we are working to awaken the nation’s conscience and mobilize leaders at every level to take this crisis seriously.
During his first term, President Trump achieved historic progress in raising national awareness and prioritizing the fight against trafficking. His administration made it clear that protecting American lives, including those most vulnerable to exploitation, is not optional. It is essential.
Now, in his second term, President Trump has reignited this effort with greater urgency and renewed resolve. He is once again elevating the fight to end trafficking to the highest levels of national attention, emphasizing the need for unity, coordination, and moral clarity in the face of modern-day slavery.
We believe confronting human trafficking is about more than passing laws. It’s about building a culture that refuses to tolerate exploitation in any form. It’s about empowering communities with knowledge, holding the enablers accountable, and ensuring survivors are met with compassion, dignity, and real paths to healing.
This isn’t just a criminal justice issue — it’s a human rights issue, a national security issue, and a cultural crisis. It touches everything from broken borders to online exploitation to the demand for illicit labor. And until we stop the demand, the supply will never cease.
What makes this issue even more urgent is its disproportionate effect on the Hispanic community, particularly women and children. Traffickers know where to target and who to exploit. That’s why awareness, education, and unity are vital. We are committed to elevating this issue across the country, engaging faith leaders, law enforcement, survivors, elected officials, and everyday Americans to expose the networks, follow the money, change the narrative, and drive real action.
We are building a national coalition united around one idea: Human life is sacred, and the trafficking of human beings is a stain on our nation’s soul. It will not be ignored. It will not be excused. And it must be ended.
On this World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we are reminded that the fight against evil begins with moral clarity and courageous leadership. America First means defending the vulnerable, securing our communities, and standing against injustice, no matter how hidden or uncomfortable it may be.
Let us rise to the moment. Let us be the generation that finally said: No more.
• Jorge Martínez is National Director of Hispanic Outreach for America First Works. He formerly served as press secretary at the U.S. Department of Justice.
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