The White House • October 21, 2020 |
Democrats want to abolish ICE. President Trump wants to help ICE abolish human trafficking. In 2018 alone, more than 23,000 human trafficking victims were identified in the United States. Of these victims, 65% were women. More than 1 in 5 were children. It’s a “level of evil that you would never believe is even possible in a modern age,” President Trump said in January. “The level of evil is incredible.” President Trump has joined law enforcement officers to fight for the voiceless and end this scourge of modern-day slavery in our country. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—which Democrats have called to be abolished—has arrested more than 5,000 human traffickers over just the past three years. “I want to thank ICE. They have been incredible,” President Trump said. Rather than dismantle law enforcement agencies, as the far left demands, President Trump has doubled funding for the Department of Justice to combat human trafficking. The President also signed the largest DOJ grant package in history to stop trafficking. It included, for the first time ever, grants to provide safe housing for survivors. All told, since taking office, President Trump has signed nine pieces of bipartisan legislation that target human traffickers, both domestically and internationally. This week, the Trump Administration released its National Action Plan to build on these important steps. It lays out a strategy in three parts: prevention of trafficking, protection for victims, and prosecution for the criminals who fuel this evil industry. In January, President Trump recognized the 20th Anniversary of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. That day, he signed an Executive Order on Combating Human Trafficking and Online Child Exploitation in the United States. With that order, he created the first-ever White House position focused solely on ending trafficking. Americans also heard that day from Bella Hounakey, a survivor of trafficking whom President Trump invited to speak at the White House. “At age 13, I was brought into this country. I survived trafficking, along with 19 other girls. Afterwards, I was placed in foster care, but this negative experience in my past should not wholly define who I am today,” she said. “Today, I am a college graduate. Today, I am an American citizen.” Last fiscal year, ICE initiated 1,024 human-trafficking and forced-labor related cases. These actions led to 2,197 criminal arrests, nearly 700 convictions, and, ultimately, the rescue of more than 400 victims. The Trump Administration Is Fighting the Evil of Human TraffickingUnder President Trump, our First Americans are being put first again! President Trump is committed to honoring the heritage of America’s first inhabitants, our Native American communities. To that end, his Administration just released a plan to continue partnering with Native Americans to build a brighter future for all people. The plan, titled “Putting America’s First Peoples First: Forgotten No More,” outlines President Trump’s core principles to fight for these communities:Respecting tribal sovereignty and self-determination Promoting safe communities Building a thriving economy with improved infrastructure Honoring Native American heritage and improving education Delivering better health outcomes President Trump’s policies will add 51,000 Native American-owned businesses and up to 196,000 new jobs for tribal communities. In addition, tribal entrepreneurship will be supported through growing opportunities for access to Federal contracting. With a priority on education, Federal investments will be increased in tribal colleges and universities, and $10 million is pledged to support the creation of new tribally operated charter schools. Federal funding will be doubled for the improvement of quality Bureau of Indian Education schools and other education options, as well. The plan also continues to prioritize the important work of Operation Lady Justice, President Trump’s task force to address missing and murdered indigenous persons. MORE: How the White House Is Seeking Justice for Native AmericansPhoto of the DayPresident Trump disembarks Air Force One in Erie, Pennsylvania | October 21, 2020 |