In May, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT) hosted a training event in Arlington, Virginia, for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents who conduct sex and labor trafficking investigations. The four-day training was attended by more than 60 HSI special agents, supervisory special agents, and assistant special agents in charge from HSI field offices across the United States.

The event began with opening remarks from CCHT Director Cardell T. Morant. Students heard presentations and trafficking case studies from fellow HSI agents and listened to experts in prosecutions from the Department of Justice. The importance of the DHS victim-centered approach was reflected in segments on how best to work with victim assistance specialists throughout an investigation, interviewing victims, and the perspectives of human trafficking lived experience experts.

New to this year’s training was a practical exercise in which agents were tasked with working either a labor or a sex trafficking investigation training scenario (based on real case fact patterns) from start to finish. Role players were used to allow agents to practice advanced interviewing techniques and the victim-centered approach. Simulated crime scenes allowed students to practice search techniques and evidence collection and analysis, and the training wrapped up with an opportunity for agents to practice presenting their cases to prosecutors.

 “Each year the Center offers this training, we use lessons learned to make it better than the year before,” said Director Morant. “This year, we added practical exercises to hone critical skills like interviewing and case presentation. Events like this are an invaluable way of equipping HSI agents with the tools they need to conduct victim-centered investigations that result in the successful prosecution of traffickers.” 

While human trafficking can occur to individuals of any age, gender, sexuality, nationality, and socio-economic class, Native American and Alaskan Native communities are disproportionally impacted by this crime. With this in mind, Blue Campaign has released a new resource to increase awareness in Tribal communities. The newly released Native community poster series seeks to raise awareness of the crime by using culturally relevant images and messaging. The series is downloadable and can be shared online or printed and displayed in schools, community centers, and offices. This poster series was informed by lived experience experts and representatives of the tribal community to help Blue Campaign carry out its mission of empowering viewers and combating human trafficking in vulnerable populations.