The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a significant crackdown on human trafficking operations during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, resulting in the arrest of 905 suspects and the rescue of 180 victims, including 30 juveniles.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT), alongside federal, state, and local partners, led these efforts. A notable operation on July 24 in Dallas involved executing eight federal arrest warrants related to an adult bookstore that had operated as an illicit brothel for over two decades, identifying thousands of victims. Charges included conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and money laundering, with one victim's murder leading to a life sentence for a defendant.
Another operation on June 23 saw HSI San Francisco, the FBI, and the San Francisco Police Department rescue two female minor victims, one of whom had been reported missing from Bakersfield, California. "While Americans and international visitors were enjoying the FIFA World Cup, the men and women of ICE law enforcement were hard at work cracking down on human trafficking operations in FIFA host cities across the country," said Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. "Federal law enforcement arrested more than 900 suspects and rescued nearly 200 victims. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, we are dismantling human trafficking networks."
Beyond these anti-trafficking successes, DHS also reported other achievements during the World Cup, including seizing over 700 unauthorized drones, conducting more than 50 air missions, completing over 19,000 vehicle inspections, and seizing more than $33 million in counterfeit FIFA World Cup merchandise.