April 23, 2021

Reps. Lou Correa & Peter Meijer Introduce Bill to Help Law Enforcement, Public Spot Signs of Human Trafficking

DHS Blue Campaign Act Empowers Communities and Local Law Enforcement to Stop Human Trafficking.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Lou Correa (D-CA) joined his Republican colleague Peter Meijer (R-MI) to introduce the bipartisan H.R. 2795, the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act, which aims to increase awareness of human trafficking indicators and prevent cases from being overlooked by law enforcement and the public. 

Rep. Lou Correa said, “Law enforcement officers have a tough job and need all the training and support they can get to keep our communities safe. The DHS Blue Campaign ensures local officers and the public they serve have the training needed to identify trafficking victims and combat this horrendous crime. I am proud to support this legislation and help end human trafficking.”

“I am proud to introduce the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act to strengthen law enforcement and the public’s ability to recognize and respond to signs of human trafficking,” said Rep. Meijer. “These heinous crimes are vastly underreported; improving our ability to spot the signs will save lives. We must utilize every available tool to put an end to human trafficking. This bill is a critical step towards that goal.”

BACKGROUND: The Blue Campaign is a national public awareness campaign designed to educate the public, law enforcement, and other industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking, and how to appropriately respond to possible cases.  

While the Blue Campaign works closely with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal partners to combat human trafficking, it is often state and local law enforcement officers who are encountering victims and their traffickers firsthand. Individuals employed in industries outside law enforcement, from medical professionals to airline employees, are also more likely to encounter victims and need to know how to identify and respond to them. Increasing widespread public awareness is critical to expanding these efforts.  

H.R. 2795, the DHS Blue Campaign Enhancement Act, would:

  • Require the Director of the Blue Campaign to develop web-based interactive training videos and provide online training opportunities for federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement officers. 

  • Establish a Blue Campaign Advisory Board within DHS to consult regularly with the Director on the development of effective awareness tools for distribution to industry partners that will help them identify and prevent instances of human trafficking. 

    • The advisory board would include representatives from each of the following DHS components:

      • Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

      • U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) 

      • U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 

      • Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)

      • U.S. Secret Service (USSS)

The bill text is available here. A one-pager is available here.