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Human Trafficking Task Force
The El Paso Police Department has been tasked with coordinating a Human Trafficking
Task Force. The US Department of Justice has funded task forces in an
effort to address the problem of human trafficking throughout the nation.
This task force consists of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies;
local and federal prosecutors; as well as Non Governmental Organizations;
all working together in cohesive effort to identify and rescue victims
of this crime and ensure that their traffickers
Law Enforcement Agencies include but are not limited to:
- El Paso County Sheriff’s Office
- El Paso District Attorney’s Office
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
- US Attorney’s Office – Western District of Texas
- US Border Patrol
- US Department of Labor – Wage and Hour Division
Non Governmental Organizations/Social Service Providers include
but are not limited to:
- Center Against Family Violence
- Diocesan Migrant & Refugee Services
- International Catholic Migration Commission
- Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center
- Sexual Trauma and Assault Response Services
- The Salvation Army
Human Trafficking is nothing less than modern-day slavery. Victims of
this crime range from documented/undocumented immigrants to US citizens,
male to female, old and young alike. Traffickers take advantage of their
victims and exploit them in a number of ways, ranging from forced labor
to prostitution. Victims are often physically and emotionally abused.
Often, threats are made against the victims or the victims’ families
in order to keep them compliant.
It is important to highlight the differences between smuggling and trafficking.
Trafficking
- Crime of violation against a person
- Contains element of force, fraud or coercion
- Subsequent exploitation and/or forced labor
- Traffickers may use smuggling debt as a means to control victim
- Traffickers maintain ongoing control over victim, even after the
border is crossed
- Trafficked person seen as a victim by the law (state and federal
law)
Smuggling
- An offense against the integrity of the U.S. borders
- Requires illegal crossing of U.S. Borders
- No coercion – facilitated illegal entry of person from one
country to another – once the undocumented immigrant has reached
the US Border (or point of destination in the interior of the country);
their “business relationship” with the smuggler then terminates.
- Smuggled person seen as criminal by the law (federal law)
- Can become trafficking once a person is forced to provide labor
or services
How Victims are Trafficked
Victims of this crime are often brought into the United States in order
to work at a job promised them by a recruiter. The lure of earning good
wages in the United States is what traffickers often use to lure their
victims here. They leave their home country; fully expecting to work for
a pre-arranged wage, only to find upon arrival that the job they were
promised does not exist. Instead, they will be working in another industry
at a fraction of the wages they were promised.
There have also been documented cases of US citizen victims. Often, these
people find themselves in vulnerable situations (adults with chemical
dependency or economic difficulties, juveniles with problems at home,
etc.); traffickers offer the victims help and a way out. Then the traffickers
turn around and exploit the victims.
In order to prevent the victims from seeking help or trying to escape,
traffickers will often threaten to turn undocumented and documented immigrant
victims into the authorities or threaten the lives of the victim and/or
victim’s family members back home. This same tactic is effective
against US citizen victims as well.
For examples of some cases from Texas, click here.
Industries where trafficking victims can be found
Victims of trafficking can be found in a variety of industries. Including
the following:
- Agricultural Work
- Begging/Panhandling
- Construction Work
- Domestic Work (Domestic Servitude)
- Exotic Dancing
- Factory Work (Sweat Shops)
- Landscape Work
- Marriage
- Prostitution
- Restaurants
Victim Clues
The number one obstacle the Task Force faces is the identification of
victims. Many victims of Human Trafficking are invisible, working and
living amongst us. This is why it is critical that the community at large
be aware of the possible signs of trafficking. Once the community is aware
of what to look for, victims of human trafficking stand a better chance
of being identified and eventually rescued. Everyone - from a case manager
to an emergency room nurse, a local law enforcement officer to a person
on the street - should be aware of clues that may indicate the occurrence
of human trafficking. Some of these clues include:
- Evidence of being controlled or "managed" by third parties
(particularly individuals who insist on answering questions or interpreting
on a potential victim's behalf)
- Having no English language ability
- Inability to leave a job or residence
- Physical signs of battering
- Tearfulness or signs of depression
- Being a recent arrival in the United States from Eastern Europe,
Asia, Latin America, Canada, Africa or India
- Lacking passport, immigration, or other identification documents
- Inability to articulate where they are living or remember addresses
To report suspected cases of Human Trafficking, please call:
1-800-237-0797 or 911
Outreach and Awareness
The Human Trafficking Task has hosted local conferences in 2004, 2005
and 2006 in order to increase awareness and understanding of this crime
to members of the community. Click here for materials from that conference
(highlighting some of the organizations that were actively involved in
the conference planning).
In summer 2006, the task force launched a public awareness campaign using
billboards. Click below for some of the billboards that are currently
placed throughout the City of El Paso.
Agricultural Worker
Domestic Servitude
Click here for the latest issue of the Department of Justice’s Newsletter
on Anti-Trafficking efforts nationwide.
If you would like to learn more about Human Trafficking, we are available
to do public presentations. If you would like to schedule a presentation,
contact Paul Piñon at 915-564-7245 or at PinonP@elpasotexas.gov
Additional Information:
Links for additional information on Human Trafficking (these links
will direct you to the respective organization’s website)
-Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition(San
Diego, CA)
-Central Texas Coalition Against Human
Trafficking
-Coalition Against Trafficking in Women
-Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST - Los Angeles, CA)
-End Child Prostitution, Child
Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT USA)
-Federal
Bureau of Investigation – Human Trafficking
-Florida Coalition
Against Human Trafficking
-Freedom Network
-Human Trafficking – The
Research and Training Center of Polaris Project
-Human Trafficking.org
-United Nations
– Trafficking in Human Beings
-US Department of Health
and Human Services – Rescue and Restore Campaign
-US Department of
Justice – Trafficking in Persons
-US Department of State – Office to Monitor
and Combat Trafficking in Persons
-The White House –
Human Trafficking: A New Form of Slavery
Links for Public Service Announcements on Human Trafficking
Public Service
Announcement - Cleaning
Public Service Announcement -
Phone
Public
Service Announcement - Three Victims
Public
Service Announcement - Sex Trafficking
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