Human Trafficking Crackdown During FIFA World Cup
The Department of Homeland Security announced on Wednesday that federal agents apprehended over 900 suspected human traffickers and rescued around 180 victims, including 30 children, during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
This operation, which saw 905 arrests, was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, along with the DHS Anti-Trafficking Center and various federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Biss commented, “While fans were enjoying the FIFA World Cup, ICE officers were actively targeting human trafficking in the host cities across the country.” She highlighted that federal agents had arrested more than 900 and rescued nearly 200 victims, reinforcing a commitment to dismantling these networks under President Trump and Secretary Marin.
In a notable case in Dallas, eight people were arrested for allegedly running an adult bookstore that had secretly functioned as a brothel for over two decades. The investigation, which started in 2023, discovered that thousands of individuals, both adults and children, were believed to be exploited through this establishment. Tragically, one victim was murdered in 2024, and the perpetrator was later convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
These eight suspects face serious charges, including conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and money laundering. This case is under the jurisdiction of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
In another incident, HSI in San Francisco collaborated with the FBI and local authorities to rescue two young girls thought to be victims of human trafficking. One of these girls had been missing from Bakersfield, California, since November 2025.
The human trafficking efforts were part of extensive security measures during the World Cup. According to DHS, over 700 unlicensed drones were seized, more than 19,000 vehicles were checked while heading to the stadiums and fan festivals, and hundreds of thousands of counterfeit World Cup merchandise, estimated at more than $33 million, were confiscated.
