# US sex trafficking prosecutions drop 22% as immigration focus tightens 2026-08-13T16:17:45+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Federal sex trafficking prosecutions in the US have fallen 22% this year, even as the Trump administration calls the fight a priority. The Times of India reports, citing a Reuters review, that only 73 people were charged through June, down from the three-year average. Staff shortages, funding cuts, and reassignment of agents to immigration duties are blamed. Victim advocates say support services are suffering: some Justice Department grants have been delayed, and T-visa approvals for trafficking victims have dropped to half the usual rate. Separately, Livemint reports that suspicious money flows linked to human smuggling fell over 60% in 2025, according to a US Treasury report. Flagged transfers dropped to 11,018 as strict border measures deterred migration. However, attempted or completed smuggling-related transfers still totalled over $4.9 billion from 2023 to 2025. The crackdown is pushing smugglers to riskier methods, including trains and boats. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com - livemint.com Tags: Immigration, Justice Department, sex trafficking, Trump, US politics, victims Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/us-sex-trafficking-prosecutions-fall-22-reuters-review-shows/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/us-sex-trafficking-prosecutions-fall-22-reuters-review-shows/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.