Husted visits Freedom a la Cart in Columbus, highlights new law to help detect human trafficking

“The survivors I met today are why I led the bipartisan, bicameral Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act—to fight the human trafficking scourge and prevent these tragedies from hurting Americans.” COLUMBUS – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) today visited Freedom a la Cart, a Columbus nonprofit that helps survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation build independent lives through job training and support. During the visit, they discussed his bipartisan Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law on October 20, 2026. “The survivors I met today are why I led the bipartisan, bicameral Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act—to fight the human trafficking scourge and prevent these tragedies from hurting Americans. With the bill now law, Department of Labor employees will be trained to spot human trafficking in real time and quickly report it to law enforcement, ultimately saving lives. I’m grateful to hear the survivors’ stories and for the work Freedom a la Cart does to support Ohio human trafficking survivors,” said Husted. Husted toured the café, received an overview of the organization’s mission and spoke with employees about the impact the program has had on their lives. In 2025, law enforcement recorded 337 human trafficking cases involving 513 victims in Ohio, up from 334 cases and 509 victims in 2024. The Enhancing Detection of Human Trafficking Act is a bipartisan, bicameral bill. Husted led the Senate effort with Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.). In the House, it was led by Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) and Rep. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.). It passed the House by voice vote in March 2026 and the Senate by unanimous consent on September 30, 2026. Trump signed it into law on October 20, 2026. Department of Labor employee training: The law requires the Department of Labor to train its employees to identify human trafficking and to refer suspected trafficking crimes to law enforcement. This means workplace inspectors will know what to look for and who to call. Report to Congress: The law requires the Department of Labor to submit a report to Congress detailing its training and referral efforts no later than one year after the department puts the program in place. This lets Congress check that the training is working. Full text of the bill is available here .