HUMAN TRAFFICKING CONCERNS AMID CIVIL UNREST AND MIGRATION
April 25, 2024
On March 22, 2024, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) issued a human trafficking awareness bulletin reminding air carriers to be watchful when transporting passengers who are fleeing conflict and may potentially be victims of human trafficking operations. Citing safety and security concerns in countries with civil unrest and mass migration, CBP recognized that there is potential for an increase in human trafficking. The bulletin furthers the Blue Lightning Initiative (“BLI”) and its objective to educate the aviation industry on how to identify human traffickers and their victims. The BLI also trains aviation personnel on how best to report suspicious activity to federal law enforcement. Doing so ensures that actionable tips are promptly reported to law enforcement. As countries continue to undergo civil unrest and mass migration, CBP encourages air carriers to remain vigilance because a sudden departure from an unstable region creates ample opportunities for malign actors to take advantage of vulnerable populations. To hinder human trafficking efforts worldwide, CBP requests that air carriers observe, document, and report their suspicions to law enforcement.
If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr at 202.659.6622 or esahr@eckertseamans.com; Drew Derco at 202-659-6665 or dderco@eckertseamans.com; Jay Julien at 202.659.6648 or jjulien@eckertseamans.com, or any other attorney at Eckert Seamans with whom you have been working.
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