U.S. House passes Rep. Tim Walberg's bill to fight human trafficking

WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of Labor employees would have to receive training to recognize and respond to human trafficking under a bill co-sponsored by Rep. Tim Walberg that passed the House this week.

The Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act passed on a unanimous vote. The co-sponsors are Del. Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, D-Northern Mariana Islands, and Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo.

"The passage of the bipartisan Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act is a major win in the fight to end the scourge," Walberg, R-Tipton, said in a news release. "Due to the failure of multiple agencies to track unaccompanied minors crossing the open border, more than 85,000 children are lost within our country. This humanitarian crisis is unacceptable and highlights the need for legislation like H.R. 443, which ensures Department of Labor staff are educated on how to effectively detect human trafficking and establishes clear reporting guidelines. Today's strong bipartisan passage shows a willingness to better combat human trafficking, and we hope the Senate will share this willingness with a swift passage in their chamber."

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

"Sadly, Michigan is not immune from the despicable crime of human trafficking, and in 2021, Monroe County launched a task force (VIPER) to crack down on it and be the voice for victims," Monroe County Sheriff Troy Goodnough said in the release. "Along with local instances, we deal with the I-75 corridor, which connects major population hubs and can be used to transport victims. I applaud Congressman Walberg's efforts, working across the aisle to assist us by establishing clear reporting guidelines and identification abilities for Wage and Hour Division staff, along with his continued efforts to work with us to highlight this criminal enterprise."

“Trafficking happens through force, fraud or coercion," Kelly Castleberry, an Adrian resident and veteran anti-trafficking advocate, said in the release. "Fraud and coercion being the most commonly used and the most difficult to prosecute. The most vulnerable populations are the most easily defrauded and or coerced. Those are the ones that fall through the gaps. They are often the children, the lonely, and those illegally trafficked across our borders. Congressman Walberg has continued a strong bipartisan approach to protect vulnerable populations, protect victims and survivors of trafficking, and provide continued education of federal agencies to identify and stop human trafficking."

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Provisions of the bill include:

• Directing the Department of Labor to educate appropriate staff on how to effectively detect instances of human trafficking.

• Ensuring personnel regularly receive information on current trends and best practices.

• Allowing flexible education options, including in-class and virtual learning options.

• Establishing a clear course of action for referring suspected instances of human trafficking to law enforcement.

• Requiring a report to Congress on the implementation of the education and the processes used by the department to measure and track the agencies' response to human trafficking.

According to an analysis of the bill by the Congressional Budget Office, it will cost less than $500,000 over the 2024-28 period to implement its provisions. It says the Department of Labor currently provides this kind of training to many employees.

— Contact reporter David Panian at dpanian@lenconnect.com or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @lenaweepanian.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: U.S. House passes Rep. Tim Walberg bill to fight human trafficking