Trump promised a sex-trafficking crackdown. His Justice Department hasn't delivered

The Trump administration has consistently claimed combating sex trafficking is a top priority. However, a recent investigation reveals staffing shortages, funding cuts, immigration enforcement, and victims' distrust have stalled investigations and led to a decline in prosecutions over the past six months, according to interviews with 25 former prosecutors, current agents, and victims' advocates.

Former federal prosecutor Jacqueline Kelley, who prosecuted rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs for sex trafficking, stated that promising a crackdown on sex trafficking but failing to provide resources to make it happen is unacceptable.

Federal sex-trafficking charges have dropped to the lowest level since 2010, with 73 people charged through June, a 22% decrease compared to the first half of the past three years. Charges for related crimes, such as child pornography violations and violations of the Mann Act targeting interstate prostitution, also declined. These drops reflect a broader shift in federal law enforcement priorities under President Donald Trump, who has reduced agency budgets and prioritized deportations.

Unrelated crimes, such as tax evasion and drug trafficking, saw a 7% decrease, totaling about 22,000 charges.

This decline comes as Congress confirmed Trump nominee Todd Blanche as Attorney General, with supporters highlighting his commitment to combating human trafficking. Blanche appointed a new national coordinator for child exploitation and human trafficking, Alessandra Serano, a career prosecutor. However, the administration's efforts may be undermined by a lack of resources and focus, as some former prosecutors have left the department, and agents are often pulled away to handle immigration enforcement.

Serano acknowledged that the drop in prosecutions may result from prosecutors and investigators focusing on ongoing cases and the psychological challenges of working sex-trafficking cases.