Texas Attorney General Paxton Leads Charge on Human Trafficking Awareness Day with Robust Commitment from Austin

On January 11, Attorney General Paxton alongside his team and community partners, took a staunch stance against human trafficking during the observation of Human Trafficking Awareness Day. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) delivered forceful remarks from the heart of Texas, the Capitol building, uniting voices from the Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force and Coordinating Council.

In a declaration of Texas' commitment to this grave issue, Attorney General Paxton stated, "My office has worked tirelessly to bring human traffickers to justice. Through our collaboration with law enforcement partners and community organizations fighting to end this form of modern-day slavery, we have made Texas a safer place," according to the OAG's formal announcement. Paxton expressed gratitude toward his Criminal Justice teams including Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice Josh Reno for their relentless dedication.

High-ranking officials like Associate Deputy Attorney General for Criminal Justice Amber Platt and Human Trafficking Division Chief Amy Meredith underscored the OAG's initiatives against trafficking. They shared the stage with State Representative Senfronia Thompson and other advocates. Allies Against Slavery's president, John Nehme, added to the collective voice calling for an end to the scourge.

Since labeling human trafficking as a punishable offense in 2003, Texas has been a national frontrunner in the fight against what is often termed a modern-day form of slavery. The OAG has been active in prosecuting traffickers and raising public consciousness across the state, with the intention of eradicating this criminal enterprise. Additional information about the Texas OAG’s efforts to tackle human trafficking can be retrieved here.