The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is marking National Human Trafficking Prevention Month by joining with the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) to reaffirm their commitment to fighting human trafficking and supporting victims. The month provides an opportunity for these agencies, through Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF), to increase operational efforts, raise public awareness, and build partnerships across all levels of government to disrupt trafficking networks.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated: “This Department of Justice is working tirelessly alongside our partners to dismantle human trafficking networks, help survivors, and protect vulnerable populations from being exploited. Under this administration we have seen an increase in human trafficking prosecutions, and during Human Trafficking Prevention Month we reaffirm our commitment to prosecuting traffickers and encourage Americans to report instances of human trafficking in their communities.”
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem commented: “Through the Homeland Security Task Force, President Trump is taking the fight directly to human trafficking networks and disrupting their modern-day slave trade while seizing their assets and arresting their kingpins and foot soldiers. The American people should not have to live in fear of cartels, gang bangers, and foreign terrorists preying upon the most vulnerable among us. The Homeland Security Task Force is the largest coordinated campaign against transnational criminal organizations in U.S. history, and I’m proud to co-lead it with Attorney General Bondi.”
FBI Director Kash Patel added: “During Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the FBI reiterates our work with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and national victim-based advocacy groups in joint task forces to protect our communities across the country. The horrifying reach of human trafficking spreads far and wide. Homeland Security Task Forces are fighting back to disrupt these perilous networks and put a stop to that reach. The FBI will continue our investigations and bring justice to those exploited by human traffickers.”
In January 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed Executive Order 14159 aimed at protecting Americans from invasion. Section 6 directed DOJ and DHS leaders to establish HSTFs nationwide with goals including ending criminal cartel activity within U.S. borders; dismantling cross-border smuggling operations; focusing on offenses involving children; and using all available law enforcement tools related to immigration laws.
Since January 20, 2025, several individuals have been charged with crimes linked to human trafficking:
– Carlos Recinos-Valdez and Kevin Recinos-Ruano face charges for allegedly conspiring together in Reno for financial gain by harboring illegal aliens through a network spanning Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. Recinos-Valdez allegedly threatened victims who could not pay smuggling fees demanded as repayment for debts owed to a transnational criminal organization.
– Rafael Juan Mitjans was indicted on allegations he forced three Cuban victims into labor after confiscating their documents while making false statements on immigration forms.
Both cases are scheduled for jury trials later this year.
In January 2026 DHS and DOJ increased resources devoted toward combating human trafficking by prioritizing ongoing investigations at multiple federal locations—especially border states—and collaborating with other agencies such as AMTRAK for public outreach campaigns that include reporting tools in train stations.
Additional efforts include distributing funds recovered from Backpage.com sales as restitution for victims; organizing seminars at schools about HSTFs’ role; coordinating multi-agency operations focused on victim recovery; conducting outreach events; running advertisements about restitution programs; partnering with DOL-OIG on additional support initiatives.
On August 25, 2025 HSTF began a major operation known as September Surge which included over 400 actions nationwide within just over six weeks—resulting in more than three thousand arrests connected mainly with organized crime groups like Sinaloa Cartel or MS-13—as well as significant seizures of weapons cash narcotics.
