Press Release
Rep. Chris Smith—author of Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000—praises Trump’s Trafficking in Persons report calling out China, Cuba, Venezuela, Russia, Belarus, and others for failing any “serious and sustained” efforts to combat human trafficking
Today, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), a senior lawmaker and author of the landmark anti-human trafficking legislation, welcomed the release of the State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report—mandated by Smith’s Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000—which ranks countries’ efforts to prevent human trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute traffickers: “I wholeheartedly welcome President Trump’s TIP report of 2025, and I applaud his commitment to protecting victims of sex and labor trafficking and demanding accountability from countries who fail to meet the necessary anti-trafficking criteria outlined in my TVPA,” said Smith. “The President is absolutely right to spotlight and criticize those countries that are not only failing to stop human trafficking, but in many cases, are actively profiting from it,” said Smith. “State-sponsored forced labor in China, Cuba, and elsewhere, coupled with the explosion of Southeast Asian scam centers, is devastating lives and families around the world—including here in the United States, where traffickers scammed Americans out of over $12.5 billion in 2024 alone.” “It is no surprise, then, that these same countries are ranked Tier 3—the worst and most egregious perpetrators of human trafficking throughout the globe, who are subject to economic and security sanctions. The dereliction and dismissal of human rights and individual freedoms in these countries have allowed this form of modern-day slavery—human trafficking—to thrive and endure,” continued Smith. Smith noted that Laos and Chad were downgraded to Tier 3 for shamelessly failing to report, investigate, and/or punish trafficking crimes, and South Africa and Brazil were downgraded to Tier 2 Watch List due to their lackluster and inadequate efforts to curb human trafficking in their countries. “This report provides a modern blueprint for combatting and preventing human trafficking around the globe, and I look forward to working with President Trump and his efficacious administration to hold the most flagrantly offending countries responsible. “For the more than 27 million men, women, and children that are still currently trapped in human trafficking worldwide, this year’s TIP report helps to pave the pathway to justice,” stated Smith. Highlights of this year’s TIP report include:
“Over the last 25 years, the TIP Report has transformed our global understanding of trafficking,” Smith said. “We now recognize that trafficking does not always involve cross-border movement; it happens within countries, in our towns, and in our neighborhoods. The report has helped governments to craft stronger laws, given service providers tools to better protect victims, and held traffickers—and complicit officials—accountable.” Smith also warned against complacency, saying, “Despite progress, governments worldwide continue to miss most victims, and survivors too often face barriers to services. Trafficking remains a hidden crime. We must redouble our efforts, ensure coordinated and survivor-informed care, and never let traffickers operate with impunity.” The Frederick Douglass TVPRA of 2025 confronts trafficking head-on by strengthening protections for children and families here at home, while also preventing it from ever reaching our shores by holding foreign governments accountable to address trafficking on their own soil. ### Contact: |
