White House redirects child trafficking reports away from victim assistance office

A September 10 directive from the Trump administration tells caregivers of unaccompanied migrant children to cease reporting suspected labor or sex trafficking directly to the Office of Trafficking in Persons, sending those reports instead to the Office of Refugee Resettlement. The policy covers roughly 1,800 minors held in federal custody and aims to “streamline” reporting by reducing what officials call non-viable trafficking leads, which they say account for 95% of over 9,000 past reports.

Advocates, including Freedom Network USA co-executive director Jean Bruggeman, warn the shift will likely increase the risk of deportation and limit access to a program that grants victims greater freedom, school placement and eligibility for benefits. Senator Ron Wyden criticized the move as sidelining trafficking experts to further a hard-line immigration stance. The Office of Refugee Resettlement defended the change, citing a review that most prior reports involved abuse or neglect rather than statutory trafficking. Former ORR deputy Jen Smyers countered that the new layer could delay or miss legitimate claims, arguing it does the opposite of streamlining and reflects broader efforts to curtail protections for unaccompanied minors.