Attorney General Jackley Joins Letter Demanding Better Federal-State Cooperation to End Human Trafficking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, April 17, 2025

Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and 39 other Attorneys General have requested that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) require better cooperation with local law enforcement from the next operator of the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Since 2007, Polaris has operated the hotline with millions of dollars in funding authorized by Congress. States rely on the Hotline to forward third-party tips of suspected human trafficking to local law enforcement to arrest traffickers, safely recover victims, and uncover evidence of trafficking rings and operations. It was recently discovered that Polaris was failing to forward third-party tips about adult victims to state law enforcement except in limited circumstances.  States also have often discovered a delay of several months before the Hotline shared those tips with states.

“This is a serious gap in communication between the hotline company and law enforcement agencies,” said Attorney General Jackley. “The lives of these trafficked victims are at risk.”

HHS is currently seeking applicants for a new award of this funding, with applications due May 2, 2025.  That notice of funding opportunity does require the hotline operator to develop a plan to work with law enforcement.

Attorneys General who signed the letter are from Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. 

The letter can be read here:

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