Top state and Miami-Dade law enforcement authorities say they will be collaborating to investigate human trafficking throughout the state, especially Miami, in anticipation of the upcoming World Cup games.
At a news conference Friday in Miami, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said the statewide investigative effort will send “an unequivocally clear message that exploiting our vulnerable children and youth will never ever be tolerated.”
Fernandez Rundle was joined by Florida Attorney General, James Uthmeier and other local law enforcement officials. Also participating was Rodney Barreto, Co-Chair, FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee.
FIFA, which oversees the tournament, announced last August it is testing a new protocol requiring all host committees to develop action plans to protect human rights for the upcoming games.
Miami is one of 16 host cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico for the 2026 tournament, which will feature 48 nations and 104 matches. 2026 FIFA World Cup games begin June 11 and will run through July, with seven matches scheduled at Hard Rock Stadium.
Rundle, who established the Miami-Dade Human Trafficking Task Force in 2012, said Florida has ranked No. 3 nationwide in reported human trafficking cases for nearly the past decade, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
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“Those of us here in Dade-County love being number one, but not when it comes to the number of victims in human trafficking,” said Rundle. “Since those numbers came out, we’ve been on a vigorous mission to fight against this modern day form of slavery."
When the task force began, there were just three human trafficking cases pending in Florida and no labor trafficking cases. Since then, Rundle’s office has worked with more than 1,100 victims and filed more than 900 trafficking-related criminal cases. The task force now includes roughly 70 sworn law enforcement officers and works with federal agencies and nonprofit partners.
Authorities say traffickers frequently prey on people who are underprivileged or homeless, exploiting financial instability and emotional vulnerability. In some cases, victims are lured with promises of income through sex work or online pornography, only to be coerced, controlled or forced into trafficking situations.
Trafficking cases more often involve manipulation and online recruitment — not the stereotypical “white van” abduction by strangers, said Uthmeier.
“Before you know it they are being sold into today's modern form of slavery,” he said. “They don’t know how to get out or who to turn to.”
Public tips play a critical role in investigations, Uthmeier added.
“You don’t need ‘beyond all reasonable doubt,’ to pick up the phone and give us that tip,” he said, urging residents to report suspicious activity. “The ‘see something, say something’ is not just a phrase. It means something.”
Statewide prosecutors say they have increased enforcement efforts in the past year, charging 65% more defendants in human trafficking cases and obtaining more than 1,200 months in prison sentences.
Tens of thousands of visitors are expected to travel to South Florida for the FIFA World Cup tournament, which traffickers take advantage of to exploit vulnerable people for profit.
Officials also point to other major events that will be drawing large crowds to South Florida — including the World Baseball Classic, Miami Open and Ultra Music Festival — in the coming months.
Community organizations, including Kristi House and Camillus House, are partnering with law enforcement to provide services and shelter for survivors. Camillus House announced it will expand by 50 beds during the World Cup to accommodate additional victims in need of safe housing.
“Protecting children from exploitation is not political,” said Amanda Altman, CEO of Kristi House, a child advocacy center in Miami-Dade County. “It is not optional. It is fundamental.”
