Q&A of the day – What role does the southern border play in human trafficking?
It’s the Q&A of the day. Each day I’ll feature a listener question that’s been submitted by one of these methods.
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Here’s today’s question comes from Michael…
Is it me being ridiculous, or does not all the hysteria with human trafficking and sexual exploitation make a HUGE case to totally control the border? I think most of the exploited are illegals...
Bottom Line:I disagree with your characterization of hysteria. Personally, I don’t think there’s anywhere near enough concern/awareness in society about the extent of this issue let alone hysteria. That being said... You raise a good point that hasn’t been addressed as part of this conversation.
Over the past couple of days I’ve shared with you the following facts:
- 22 Americans are lost to human trafficking per day in the US
- 44 foreigners are human-trafficked into the US per day
It’s clearly a huge problem coming and going. Because the Jupiter Orchids Day Spa didn’t involve people trafficked over the border, it hasn’t raised the issue in the context of this week’s conversation but it’s a big part of the problem.
We only have estimates for the amount of trafficking that takes place across the southern border but it’s extensive. According to data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline,a minimum of 18% of human trafficking in the US comes through the southern border. Using these conservative estimates there are four Americans lost to human trafficking per day across the border and 8 that are trafficked into the US across the border.
That amounts to an average of 4,380 people per year sex trafficked, labor trafficked or both across our southern border. I’d say that certainly supports the point you’re making regarding the southern border. It’s fair to say that if we provided the Border Patrol the resources they say they need to secure the border, which includes their wall, we’d potentially be able to save thousands of people per year from being lost to sex and labor trafficking.
As an aside, while working on this story, another two-day spas were shut down by authorities in Florida for human trafficking and prostitution (illustrating again what a real crisis this is but often ignored due to Robert Kraft like people being linked).