Blackburn, Cortez Masto Introduce Legislation to Crack Down on Human Trafficking in Transportation Industry

Blackburn, Cortez Masto Introduce Legislation to Crack Down on Human Trafficking in Transportation Industry
November 6, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C.
– U.S. Senators
Marsha Blackburn
(R-Tenn.) and
Catherine Cortez Masto
(D-Nev.) introduced the
Trafficker Restrictions for Aviation, Federal Freight, and Interstate Carriers (TRAFFIC) Act
,
which would strengthen federal efforts to combat human trafficking by ensuring that individuals convicted of human trafficking crimes are permanently prohibited from holding any professional transportation license issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS):
“Human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing illicit industries, and anyone convicted of these despicable offenses should be permanently barred from holding a federally issued transportation license,”
said Senator Blackburn
. “Our bipartisan TRAFFIC Act would strengthen federal law to better prevent and combat human trafficking and expand protections for vulnerable individuals.”
“I have been fighting against human trafficking since my time as Nevada’s Attorney General,”
said Senator Cortez Masto
.
“Transportation workers should be focused on safety and security. People who have been convicted of human trafficking should never be allowed to fly commercial planes or conduct passenger trains – it’s just common sense.”
BACKGROUND
DOT’s Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking’s
2024 report
estimates that the exploitation of victims of commercial sex and forced labor across all modes of transportation generates
$150 billion
in illicit profits annually.
The report found that nearly 80% of international human trafficking cases involved crossing official border entry points, including approximately 34% by bus, 33% by train, 20% by airplane, 11% by car, and 1% by boat.
The report also found that among those who crossed unofficially, 28% traveled by car, 26% by bus, 15% by train, and 12% by boat.
Human trafficking is not confined solely to commercial motor vehicles, and the law must be updated to expand lifetime bans of transportation credentials to all modes of transportation.
THE TRAFFIC ACT
The
TRAFFIC Act
would close existing gaps in federal law to include lifetime bans for all federally regulated transportation credentials.
This lifetime ban would apply to all licensed positions for individuals convicted of human trafficking, including locomotive conductors, pilots, and merchant mariners.
The
TRAFFIC Act
would reinforce protections for vulnerable individuals, strengthen interagency coordination within DOT, and ensure that America’s transportation workforce upholds the highest ethical and safety standards.
ENDORSEMENTS
The
TRAFFIC Act
is endorsed by the
Association of American Railroads
and the
American Trucking Association
:
“The American Trucking Associations is proud to be a leader in the fight against the scourge of human trafficking. Nearly a decade ago, we endorsed a law banning anyone convicted of this horrific crime from operating a commercial motor vehicle.  Now it is time for the rail, aviation, and maritime industries to be a part of the solution.  We applaud Senators Blackburn and Cortez Masto for introducing this bipartisan bill that would close loopholes for licensed positions across our transportation network in order to crack down on predators and protect vulnerable individuals,”
said American Trucking Association SVP of Legislative Affairs, Henry Hanscom.
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Click
here
for bill text.
https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/index.php/2025/11/human trafficking/blackburn-cortez-masto-introduce-legislation-to-crack-down-on-human-trafficking-in-transportation-industry