Human trafficking in the United States

In the U.S., human trafficking often happens near international airports and cities with large immigrant communities, especially in California, Texas, and Georgia. Victims can be children, teens, men, or women, and they may be from the U.S. or other countries.

According to federal law (18 USC § 1589), it's illegal to force someone to work through threats, pressure, or fear. In 2017, the U.S. was ranked as a "Tier 1" country by the State Department, meaning it was actively working to fight human trafficking.

Where forced labor happens
A 2011 U.S. State Department report said most victims of forced labor come from countries like Thailand, India, Mexico, the Philippines, Haiti, Honduras, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic. Many are brought to the U.S. through visa programs meant for students or temporary workers. These people often end up working in jobs like hospitality, landscaping, construction, food service, and farming — where they can be taken advantage of.

Human trafficking is most common in large cities with lots of international travel and big immigrant communities. The highest numbers of reported cases were in California, New York, Texas, and Florida. A U.S. Department of Justice report also listed California, Oklahoma, New York, and Texas as having the most survivors of human trafficking.

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