The migration crisis at the U.S. southern border runs deeper than even the most disturbing news reports reveal. The grave humanitarian crisis does not stop at the border. It extends to communities across the nation, as failed immigration policies fuel human trafficking activity.

The world’s more than 280 million migrants are among the individuals most vulnerable to the ravages of human trafficking. Those forced to leave their homes, a record 80 million in 2020, are at particular risk, which makes the crush of undocumented migrants surging across the southern border especially concerning. Among them are tens of thousands of children, prime targets for transnational criminal operatives.