Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is among the fastest-growing illicit trades in the world, generating over $236 billion in profits each year. While many of our friends and neighbors may perceive human trafficking to be an overblown third-world phenomenon, in reality, the modern-day slave trade is very real — and very pervasive — right here at home. Combating human trafficking remains one of Senator Blackburn’s top priorities. By coming together on a bipartisan basis, Congress can support the ongoing efforts in Tennessee and across the country to help relegate this modern-day slave trade to the dustbin of history.

What Senator Blackburn Is Doing To Combat Human Trafficking

Stopping Human Trafficking by Securing the Border

Under former President Biden, the border crisis emboldened cartels and human traffickers. Senator Blackburn has strongly opposed amnesty for all and the spread of sanctuary cities and states that operate as lawless havens for illegal aliens. Secure countries have secure borders. That is why Senator Blackburn has stood with President Trump in his efforts to secure our border and ports of entry.Senator Blackburn has championed legislation aimed at combating human trafficking along the southern border. Senator Blackburn introduced the End Child Trafficking Now Act, which was signed into law by President Trump to require a DNA test to determine the familial relationship between illegal aliens coming across the border and any accompanying children. Senator Blackburn also introduced the PRINTS Act, now law, which prevents child recycling by giving U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) the authority to fingerprint non-citizens under the age of 14.

Disrupting and Tracking Trafficking Networks

Senator Blackburn introduced the Combating Trafficking in Transportation Act, which would require training for transportation workers like truck drivers, bus operators, and airline personnel to report signs of human trafficking. She further introduced the bipartisan TRAFFIC Act to strengthen coordination between law enforcement, transportation companies, and anti-trafficking organizations.

Senator Blackburn introduced the National Human Trafficking Database Act, which would establish a centralized national human trafficking database at the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime. The bill would incentivize states to report aggregated and anonymized data on trafficking cases, the locations of anti-trafficking organizations by county, and statewide prosecution numbers by providing grants for data collection and submission. This database would fill critical information gaps, help identify risks and patterns, improve coordination between federal, state, and local agencies, and support more effective prosecutions.

Securing Justice for the Victims of Sex Trafficking Rings

Senator Blackburn has introduced several pieces of legislation to curb the smuggling and trafficking of young women and girls, who are disproportionately affected by this heinous crime. The bipartisan SAVE Girls Act would provide states, local governments, and nonprofits with vital resources they need to train personnel, conduct rescues, and help save trafficking victims.The SALONS Stories Act would incentivize training for cosmetologists and beauticians so that they can spot signs of domestic violence among their clients and get them the help they need. This initiative replicates a program in Tennessee, Shear Haven, that has helped countless girls and women. The Generate Recordings of All Child protective Interviews Everywhere (GRACIE) Act would incentivize states to require the recording of all CPS interviews with children and adults to increase the likelihood that child trafficking victims will be removed from dangerous situations.

Senator Blackburn has also long fought to achieve justice for the victims and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein. She supported the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which was signed into law by President Trump on November 19, 2025. Under President Trump, the U.S. Department of Justice published more than 3.5 million pages to comply with this law, making more than 2,000 videos and 180,000 images available to the public.