US Attorney General Expands Human Trafficking Task Force Across Borders

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced an expansion of Joint Task Force Alpha to cover northern and maritime U.S. borders, intensifying efforts to combat human trafficking and smuggling networks. She revealed that since President Donald Trump took office, the task force has charged 56 defendants involved in smuggling conspiracies. Bondi highlighted recent operations resulting in dozens of arrests nationwide, including 12 in Tampa linked to a large smuggling ring profiting over $18 million, which exploited migrants—including unaccompanied children—through tactics such as coaching them to lie to authorities. She emphasized the deadly consequences of these criminal networks, citing cases where traffickers endangered lives, including incidents of children being drugged to control them. Bondi described Joint Task Force Alpha as a critical tool in prosecuting transnational criminal organizations and warned that smuggling activities continue to expand beyond the southern border to the northern border. Other U.S. attorneys also stressed the growing crackdown on smuggling and urged migrants to enter the U.S. through legal channels.