Human Trafficking

Joint Task Force Alpha was created in 2021 under the Biden administration to combat human trafficking and smuggling networks from Central and South America into the U.S. Now, the force is expanding.

Even though a state-designated lab had been compiling data on human trafficking since it was established in 2019, the report released this month is the first of its kind.

The "critically missing" youths, ages 9 to 17, are receiving treatment and housing after Operation Dragon Eye, a two-week initiative involving federal, state and local law enforcement and organizations.

The state already requires K-12 students to be trained in the dynamics of human trafficking, but not teachers and other school personnel — yet

In addition, outgoing DCF Secretary Shevaun Harris introduced the use of enhanced screening tools to assist in recognizing the potential for youth trafficking.

State Rep. Berny Jacques, R-Seminole, filed the bill, which he says would be a critical tool in the fight against human trafficking,. He calls the crime "a scourge that is worth taking on."

PolitiFact found no announcements from the organization signaling any reporting policy change over the last four years. A hotline spokesperson said its policies "have remained consistent" for over a decade.

The state urged a federal judge to toss out a constitutional challenge to a new law preventing strippers under 21 from performing in adult-entertainment establishments.

Attorney General Ashley Moody says federal government to blame for prevalence of trafficking

Attorney General Ashley Moody recently announced the bust of a trafficking ring in the Tampa Bay area and the rescue of 10 victims. She blames the federal government for the ongoing trafficking problem.

The national trafficking hotline takes a victim-centered approach, reporting 30 percent of cases to law enforcement; Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody says that's not enough.

The BRIGHT Network provides a centralized database of services for human trafficking survivors.