Human Trafficking news from every side

US 301 Tariffs Expand to 60 Partners, Court Rulings

The U.S. will release its final responsive action on Section 301 investigations into forced-labor imports from 60 trading partners, including India, ahead of the expiry of 10% tariffs, with proposed 10% and 12.5% duties depending on partner measures; the process has involved over 1,600 public comments and 107 witnesses at hearings. India has contested the investigations and pressed to address these issues within bilateral talks, while concerns about soda ash market access and structural capacity in several countries are also being considered.

Donald Trump

Jul 27, 2026

Human Trafficking

US Tariffs Expand to 60 Partners, Brazil 25%

The United States is intensifying pressure under Section 301 to address forced labor and other trade concerns, signaling Thailand and other exporters face targeted investigations, potential tariffs, and heightened scrutiny as Washington shifts from broad tariffs to legal mechanisms. Across the region, new compliance demands and findings on forced labor—ranging from a global 60-economy report to the Philippines’ electronic filing rules and Thailand’s ongoing tariff risk—underscore a broad push to trace, prevent, and penalize forced labor in global supply chains.

Jul 26, 2026

Crime

Maduro, Wife to Face June 2027 Trial

Maduro and U.S. prosecutors have jointly proposed a June 2027 start for Maduro's U.S. drug-trafficking trial in Manhattan, with Judge Alvin Hellerstein to set the schedule after a hearing. The filing outlines the timeline amid pretrial motions and notes that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured in Caracas and brought to New York, both pleading not guilty.

Alvin Hellerstein Cilia Flores

Jul 25, 2026

Human Trafficking

Brazil Rejects US Tariffs, Plans WTO Challenge

Brazil denounced the United States’ 12.5% tariffs on its exports and 59 other trading partners as completely arbitrary and unjustified, saying Washington lacks a legal basis and is using human-rights concerns to advance protectionism. Brasília pledged immediate retaliation under its Reciprocity Law and to take the dispute to the WTO, while Lula signaled willingness to negotiate but warned Brazil will seek alternative markets if needed.

United States Mexico

Jul 24, 2026

Human Trafficking

Crewe religious group arrests widen modern slavery probe

Police in Cheshire have arrested two more people in Crewe as part of an ongoing probe into alleged sexual offences, forced marriage and modern slavery linked to the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, with a 53-year-old Mexican woman and a 43-year-old British man detained on July 20 and a 43-year-old American woman rearrested; all three have been released on bail. Twelve other suspects remain on conditional bail, safeguarding measures for children at Webb House are in place, and a Stalking and Trafficking Risk Order has been sought against the 53-year-old.

Jul 21, 2026

Smuggling

Guilty plea linked to St. Lawrence River deaths

Stephanie Square, a dual Canadian-American from the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory, pleaded guilty in U.S. federal court to conspiracy to commit alien smuggling and multiple counts of alien smuggling, including resulting in death, in connection with a deadly 2023 smuggling attempt that killed a Romanian family of four and a boat operator on the St. Lawrence River. She led a cross-border smuggling network via Akwesasne and now faces a minimum sentence of five years up to life in prison, with sentencing set for November and several co-conspirators already having pleaded guilty.

United States Canada-wide

Jul 24, 2026

Human Trafficking

Daisy Elementary janitor arrested for sexual exploitation

Zackary Nelson, a janitor at Daisy Elementary School in Hamilton County, was arrested on July 21, 2026, on charges related to the manufacture of child sexual abuse material and sexual exploitation of a minor after detectives executed a search warrant at his home and seized electronic devices, and he was taken into custody at the school and jailed. Authorities say the case involved Nelson being arrested at the elementary school and ongoing investigations by the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Unit.

Jul 21, 2026

Human Trafficking

New Jersey World Cup Trafficking Sweep Arrests 71

New Jersey authorities recovered 97 suspected human trafficking victims and arrested 71 people in a multiagency operation tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including 40 alleged buyers and 31 others. Led by the Division of Criminal Justice and State Police with 44 agencies and partners like Covenant House, Volunteers of America, and Operation RISE, the effort ran from May through July and offered victims housing, mental health care, legal aid, and treatment.

Jul 20, 2026

IJR News

IJR News

Human Trafficking

US 301 Tariffs Expand to 60 Partners, Court Rulings

US Tariffs Expand to 60 Partners, Brazil 25%

Maduro, Wife to Face June 2027 Trial

Brazil Rejects US Tariffs, Plans WTO Challenge

Crewe religious group arrests widen modern slavery probe

Guilty plea linked to St. Lawrence River deaths

Daisy Elementary janitor arrested for sexual exploitation

New Jersey World Cup Trafficking Sweep Arrests 71

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