In October, the Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT) celebrated its fifth anniversary. Five years of coordinated operations, victim support, and enforcement against sex trafficking and forced labor.
But here’s what matters: human trafficking isn’t some distant crisis. It’s happening in Texas. Right now. And the fight against it is intensifying.
What CCHT Actually Does
The Center for Countering Human Trafficking was launched in October 2020 as the first DHS-wide coordination center dedicated entirely to combating human trafficking. Five years later, it’s grown from a small team to four specialized units operating across DHS agencies.
Think of CCHT as the command center that brings together ICE, Border Patrol, HSI (Homeland Security Investigations), and other agencies to coordinate against trafficking networks instead of operating in silos.
It’s the difference between isolated arrests and dismantling entire criminal enterprises.
The Four Specialized Units
Sex Trafficking Investigations Unit: Works with law enforcement at major events—Super Bowl, World Cup, national conferences—to protect vulnerable populations from traffickers who exploit crowds and chaos.
Forced Labor Investigations Unit: Enforces the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act and holds businesses accountable for supply chain transparency. If your clothes or electronics were made using forced labor, this unit is investigating.
Victim Assistance Program: Ensures survivors get trauma-informed, victim-centered care. Not just rescue, but actual support and healing.
Blue Campaign: DHS’s national public awareness initiative teaching people—hotel workers, airline staff, retail employees, college students—how to recognize and report trafficking.
What They’ve Actually Accomplished
In five years, CCHT has:
Strengthened large-scale event security by coordinating law enforcement across multiple agencies at high-profile gatherings. Traffickers target events. CCHT makes sure law enforcement is ready.
Expanded forced labor enforcement to hold companies accountable for supply chain practices. This isn’t theoretical—businesses are being investigated and penalized for using forced labor.
Built the Blue Campaign into a major awareness initiative partnering with hotels, airlines, universities, and community organizations. Frontline workers now have training on trafficking indicators.
Launched IMPACTT, a program helping investigators manage secondary trauma from trafficking cases. This is important—investigating trafficking is psychologically brutal. CCHT recognizes that.
Protected survivors through victim-centered advocacy instead of just treating them as witnesses in criminal cases.
The Texas Connection
Texas is a major trafficking hub. The state is on the border where human trafficking networks operate extensively. Major cities like Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio are transit and destination points for trafficking victims.
In August 2025, HSI Tacoma (working with CCHT) led a major operation targeting a criminal street gang engaged in sex trafficking and narcotics distribution. They executed 13 federal arrest warrants. They seized nine vehicles, drugs, and $111,524 in illegal proceeds.
That’s one operation in one city. Multiply that across Texas and you get a sense of the scale of trafficking operations happening right now.
The Forced Labor Angle—And Why You Should Care
Here’s something most people don’t think about: the stuff you buy might be made with forced labor.
The U.S. Department of Labor maintains a list of goods produced by child labor or forced labor. The 2024 list highlights the worst offenders: clothing, cocoa, and coffee.
You probably buy these things regularly. You probably didn’t think about forced labor when you bought them. But the workers who made them might have been trafficked.
CCHT’s Forced Labor Investigations Unit is targeting companies with non-transparent supply chains. If you can’t trace where your product came from, there’s a trafficking risk.
Holiday Shopping Season Alert
As you’re doing holiday shopping right now, DHS is specifically warning about forced labor in consumer goods.
The message: “By choosing to buy from ethical, transparent brands and avoiding products that may be produced with forced labor, you can help reduce demand for exploitative supply chains.”
Look for brands that disclose their supply chain. Avoid ultra-cheap products from unknown manufacturers. Check the Department of Labor’s list of goods with known forced labor ties.
Your purchasing power matters. It literally affects whether traffickers can profit from forced labor.
Retail Employees Are First Responders
Here’s a critical angle: if you work in retail, you’re on the front lines of trafficking prevention.
Retail workers—especially convenience store employees working 24/7—see suspicious activity. They see trafficking victims. They interact with customers in ways that reveal exploitation.
CCHT’s Blue Campaign has specific training guides for retail employees teaching them to:
- Recognize trafficking indicators
- Report suspicious activity safely
- Protect themselves while helping victims
A convenience store clerk noticing someone being controlled by another person can call authorities. That call can lead to victim rescue and criminal prosecution.
The Survivor-Centered Approach
What makes CCHT different from traditional law enforcement is the focus on survivor support, not just prosecution.
CCHT works with victim advocate organizations to ensure survivors receive trauma-informed care. They’re not just witnesses in a criminal case—they’re trauma survivors needing healing.
The meeting between CCHT leadership and the CEO of Our Rescue (an NGO focused on survivor care) highlights this: trafficking victims need both justice AND support. CCHT recognizes both matter.
The Global Picture
The CCHT’s work isn’t just domestic. They’re coordinating internationally against trafficking networks that cross borders. Human trafficking is a global enterprise. Fighting it requires global coordination.
For Texas, that matters because trafficking networks operating internationally often move victims through Texas ports of entry, major cities, and transportation hubs.
What’s Coming Next
CCHT’s priorities for the next five years:
- Strengthen investigations to dismantle larger trafficking networks
- Expand survivor support beyond prosecution
- Enhance prevention through education and outreach
- Lead globally against human trafficking
This means more operations like the one in Tacoma. More arrests of traffickers. More rescue of victims. More support for survivors.
How You Can Help
If you work in retail: Learn the trafficking indicators. Report suspicious activity. Protect victims.
If you shop: Check supply chains. Avoid forced labor products. Use your purchasing power against traffickers.
If you see trafficking: Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233733). Text from your phone.
If you’re a trafficking victim: Call that same number. They’ll help you get safe.
The Bottom Line
Five years ago, DHS created a center dedicated to coordinating the fight against human trafficking. Today, CCHT is operating across agencies, conducting major enforcement operations, protecting victims, and raising awareness.
Sex trafficking and forced labor aren’t going away. But CCHT is making it harder for traffickers to operate. They’re rescuing victims. They’re prosecuting criminals. They’re supporting survivors.
In Texas, where trafficking is rampant, that matters. Every investigation disrupts a network. Every victim rescued is someone getting a second chance. Every awareness campaign might prevent a trafficking situation.
Five years down. And the fight is just getting stronger.
Critical Resources:
National Human Trafficking Hotline:
- Call: 1-888-373-7888
- Text: BeFree (233733)
- Available 24/7, multiple languages
- Confidential support
Department of Labor Forced Labor List:
- Visit dol.gov for goods with known forced labor ties
- Guides ethical shopping decisions
- Includes survivor stories
Report Trafficking:
- HSI Tip Line: 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423)
- Local law enforcement
- 911 for emergencies
Blue Campaign:
- Training guides for retail employees, hotel staff, and the public
- Trafficking indicators checklist
- Awareness materials in multiple languages
CCHT Five-Year Achievements:
- 4 specialized expertise units created
- Major enforcement operations coordinated
- Victim assistance expanded
- Blue Campaign expanded nationwide
- IMPACTT program launched for investigator wellness
