Blue Campaign is a national public awareness campaign designed to educate the public, law enforcement, and other industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking, and how to appropriately respond to possible cases. Blue Campaign works closely with DHS Components to develop general awareness trainings, as well as specific educational resources to help reduce victimization within vulnerable populations.
Located within the Office of Partnership and Engagement and aligned with the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, Blue Campaign leverages partnerships with the private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), law enforcement, and state/local authorities to maximize national public engagement on anti-human trafficking efforts. Blue Campaign’s educational awareness objectives consists of two foundational elements, prevention of human trafficking and protection of exploited persons.
Through the Blue Campaign, DHS raises public awareness about human trafficking, working with organizations and making awareness-raising resources available to educate the public to recognize human trafficking and report suspected instances. The Blue Campaign also offers training to law enforcement and others to increase detection and investigation of human trafficking, and to protect victims and bring suspected traffickers to justice. To view all available Blue Campaign resources, please visit our resources page.
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day is recognized each year on January 11th. In recognition of this important day, Blue Campaign hosts a social media campaign called #WearBlueDay. To raise awareness of human trafficking, we ask people to take photos of themselves, friends, family, and colleagues wearing blue clothing and share them on social media, along with our #WearBlueDay hashtag. Learn more about #WearBlueDay.
DHS is responsible for investigating human trafficking crimes, arresting traffickers, and protecting victims. DHS also provides immigration relief to non-U.S. citizen victims of human trafficking. DHS utilizes a victim-centered approach to combat human trafficking, which places equal value on identifying and stabilizing victims and on investigating and prosecuting traffickers. Victims are crucial to investigations and prosecutions; each case and every conviction changes lives. DHS understands how difficult it can be for victims to come forward and work with law enforcement due to their trauma. DHS is committed to helping victims feel stable, safe, and secure. Learn more about DHS’s victim-centered approach to combating human trafficking.
DHS and its components coordinate and unite our efforts to combat human trafficking under the Blue Campaign. Learn more about:
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigates international and domestic cases of human trafficking and provides support to victims. ICE accomplishes this mission by making full use of its authorities and expertise, stripping away the traffickers’ assets and profit incentives, collaborating with U.S. and foreign partners to attack networks worldwide, and working in partnership with non-governmental organizations to identify, rescue, and provide assistance to trafficking victims.
During case investigations, ICE HSI victim assistance specialists assess a victim’s needs and work with law enforcement agents to integrate victim assistance considerations throughout a criminal investigation. ICE HSI can also help a victim get a short-term immigration relief called Continued Presence, which is available only upon request by law enforcement. In the absence of other resources, DHS has an emergency assistance fund which is available for emergency victim assistance needs.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
USCIS helps protect victims of human trafficking and other crimes by providing immigration relief. Two types of immigration relief for victims of human trafficking and other crimes are available through USCIS: T Nonimmigrant Status (T Visa) and U Nonimmigrant Status (U Visa).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
The focus of CBP is to prevent human trafficking and identify victims of human trafficking along our nation’s borders and at our ports of entry. With more than 42,000 frontline CBP officers and Border Patrol agents protecting nearly 7,000 miles of land border and 327 ports of entry—including official crossings by land, air, and sea—CBP is uniquely situated to deter and disrupt human trafficking.
Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC)
FLETC provides career-long training to law enforcement professionals on how to identify indicators of human trafficking, immigration options available for potential trafficking victims, and how to conduct human trafficking investigations. FLETC developed a web-based human trafficking training course that teaches officers how to recognize human trafficking encountered during routine duties, protect victims, and initiate human trafficking investigations.
The President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF) brings together federal departments and agencies to ensure a whole-of-government approach that addresses all aspects of human trafficking—enforcement of criminal and labor law, victim identification and protection, education and public awareness, international trade and development, enhanced partnerships and research opportunities, and international engagement and diplomacy.
The Blue Campaign logo conveys unity, strength, and innovation. The logo is representative of the unprecedented collaboration among our dedicated government and non-government partners in the fight against human trafficking. The color blue is internationally symbolic of human trafficking awareness, and the Blue Campaign’s name references the global anti-human trafficking symbols the Blue Heart and the Blue Blindfold, as well as the "thin blue line" of law enforcement.
The Blue Campaign is committed to providing easy access to information regarding DHS programs, initiatives, and activities in the fight against human trafficking. A variety of information about our efforts is available on our Resources page.
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For the latest media releases, visit the ICE Newsroom or contact the DHS Press Office at 202-282-8010.
Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) to report suspicious criminal activity to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tip Line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. The Tip Line is accessible outside the United States by calling 802-872-6199.
To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH), call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733). The NHTH can help connect victims with service providers in the area and provides training, technical assistance, and other resources. The NHTH is a national, toll-free hotline available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. The NHTH is not a law enforcement or immigration authority and is operated by a nongovernmental organization funded by the Federal government.
