T ump
admi ist atio
has
desc ibed
p osecuti g
sex
t afficki g
as
a
p io ity,
but
the e
has
bee
a
22%
dec ease
i
them
The
T ump
admi ist atio
has
epeatedly
desc ibed
the
fight
agai st
sex
t afficki g
as
a
p io ity,
but
fede al
p osecutio s
have
slowed
this
yea
amid
staffi g
sho tages,
fu di g
cuts
a d
a
shift
i
law-e fo ceme t
esou ces
towa d
immig atio
e fo ceme t,
a
Reute s
eview
fou d.Fede al
p osecuto s
cha ged
73
people
with
sex
t afficki g
th ough
Ju e,
about
22%
fewe
tha
the
ave age
fo
the
same
pe iod
ove
the
p evious
th ee
yea s.
Reute s
based
its
fi di gs
o
i te views
with
25
fo me
p osecuto s,
cu e t
age ts
a d
victims’
advocates,
as
well
as
a
eview
of
fede al
cou t
eco ds.Fo me
p osecuto s
a d
age ts
told
Reute s
that
expe ie ced
pe so el
have
left
the
Justice
Depa tme t,
while
some
Homela d
Secu ity
I vestigatio s
age ts
p eviously
i volved
i
t afficki g
cases
we e
eassig ed
to
immig atio
duties.
I
some
offices,
emai i g
i vestigato s
have
st uggled
to
fi d
p osecuto s
able
to
take
o
thei
cases.The
shift
has
also
affected
victims,
whose
coope atio
is
ofte
c ucial
i
t afficki g
i vestigatio s.
Advocates
said
eassig ed
age ts
dis upted
elatio ships
with
vul e able
victims
a d
wit esses,
while
some
su vivo s
became
elucta t
to
wo k
with
fede al
autho ities.Fu di g
fo
victim-suppo t
o ga isatio s
has
also
bee
affected.
Reute s
epo ted
that
some
Justice
Depa tme t
g a ts
fo
housi g,
food
a d
me tal-health
se vices
we e
delayed
o
f oze ,
while
the
umbe
of
T-visas
app oved
fo
t afficki g
victims
was
u i g
at
oughly
half
the
typical
pace.The
Justice
Depa tme t
said
combati g
huma
t afficki g
emai ed
a
p io ity
a d
att ibuted
some
of
the
decli e
to
p osecuto s
a d
i vestigato s
bei g
occupied
with
majo
o goi g
cases.
The
depa tme t
also
said
it
was
hi i g
to
fill
vaca t
positio s.
