Human Trafficking Hotline Fails to Report Tips to Law Enforcement

The nonprofit organization Polaris, which operates the federally funded National Human Trafficking Hotline, is under scrutiny following whistleblower allegations that it routinely fails to report human trafficking tips to law enforcement.

The claims were presented to the Senate Judiciary Committee and have prompted renewed concerns from lawmakers and state attorneys general.

Polaris received $4,831,020 in federal grant money in 2023, according to IRS filings.

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The hotline is funded by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and receives approximately $5 million annually through federal awards.

In a letter addressed to HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) detailed whistleblower evidence that Polaris staff marked serious human trafficking tips as “Work Not Required,” indicating no follow-up or referral to law enforcement was made.

Grassley said the documentation appears to confirm earlier warnings raised by state officials.

“As you are aware, Polaris has received millions in taxpayer dollars to run this hotline, and if the grant is renewed, will receive an additional $9 million in funding,” Grassley wrote.

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“It’s imperative that HHS ensures the hotline is running efficiently and effectively to protect the countless victims of human trafficking.”

One tip, received by Polaris in March 2025, involved a potential sex trafficking case with high indicators of exploitation and the possible involvement of minors.

The victim reportedly expressed fear of being harmed by a pimp and mentioned that others were also being forced to work.

Despite these details, the case was marked “Work Not Required,” meaning no action was taken by Polaris staff and no report was made to law enforcement, according to Grassley.

In another case from February 2025, a caller reported that a victim and her underage sister were being held by suspected traffickers.

When the alleged victim stopped communicating, Polaris also closed the case without contacting authorities.

The hotline’s current policy states that action is not taken without consent from the individual involved, unless a minor is being abused or there is an immediate danger.

However, whistleblowers told the committee that this approach has led to serious cases going unreported.

Tristan Leavitt, president of the nonprofit Empower Oversight, which represents one of the whistleblowers, told the John Solomon Reports podcast that it’s unclear whether the failure to act is due to resource issues or negligence.

“There seems to be an indication of saying, ‘Hey, we should follow up,’ and then a little bit of action, and then it just falls through the cracks,” Leavitt said.

The revelations follow earlier warnings from a bipartisan coalition of 41 state attorneys general, who wrote to Secretary Kennedy in April expressing frustration that Polaris has stopped referring actionable tips to law enforcement agencies.

“Without those tips, our law enforcement loses critical leads to dismantling trafficking operations,” the attorneys general wrote.

A separate coalition raised similar concerns to the previous administration in 2023.

Then-HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra promised increased coordination language in future grant agreements, though it is unclear what steps were taken afterward.

Polaris was co-founded in 2002 by Katherine Chon, who currently serves as Director of the Office on Trafficking in Persons at HHS, the office responsible for overseeing the hotline’s funding.

Grassley’s letter raised questions about a potential conflict of interest due to Chon’s prior affiliation with Polaris.

“What steps has HHS taken to ensure the apparent conflicts of interest between Polaris and Ms. Chon do not affect the contracting process?” Grassley asked.

He also requested all records related to any potential recusal of Chon from overseeing Polaris-related matters.

The hotline, according to its website, has received over 430,000 tips and identified more than 100,000 cases of human trafficking since its creation.

Most cases involve sex trafficking.

However, the new whistleblower claims have renewed calls for oversight and reform to ensure that taxpayer-funded efforts are effectively assisting victims and aiding law enforcement in dismantling trafficking networks.

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