ICE launches human trafficking awareness campaign to thwart forced servitude in the United States

WASHINGTON, D.C - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today launched a public service campaign to generate awareness and inform the American public on how they can help save the life of someone being held in forced servitude.

Each year, thousands of individuals are trafficked into the United States, often without knowing the real circumstances of their travel. Victims are lured to the U.S. with a variety of ploys and once here, forced into involuntary servitude or sexual slavery through force, fraud or coercion. Perpetrators often use threats of or actual physical and emotional abuse to keep their victims captive.

A recent ICE-led Detroit trafficking case, which resulted in nine convictions, will be the subject of an MSNBC news special tonight, "Sex Slaves in America". Coinciding with the release of the special report, a powerful public service announcement developed and produced by ICE will air on television stations around the country asking anyone who suspects trafficking activity in their community to call 1 866 DHS-2ICE (866 347-2423).

"A trafficking victim is anonymous only when they're ignored. They can be anyone, living anywhere and anyone of us can help rescue them," said Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Julie L. Myers for ICE. "This is a multi-billion dollar industry that uses the promise of America to rob individuals of their freedom."

ICE has taken an aggressive approach to attack this global criminal problem by targeting the people, money and materials that support criminal trafficking networks. In the last three fiscal years, ICE initiated 958 investigations into human trafficking organizations that resulted in 520 arrests, 339 criminal indictments and 281 criminal convictions as well as the seizure of over $9 million in assets from organizations.