With President Trump back in office, immigration is once again front-page news. But while the focus tends to zero in on deportations and enforcement, there’s a critical piece of the narrative being overlooked: ICE actively rescues victims—many of whom are being trafficked, abused, or abandoned by the very people promising them freedom.

ICE Isn’t Just Enforcing—It’s Rescuing

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the criminal investigative branch of ICE, plays a central role in locating and rescuing victims of human trafficking—both at the border and within the U.S.

In fiscal year 2019, during Trump’s first term, HSI launched over 1,000 human trafficking investigations, resulting in more than 2,100 arrests and the identification or rescue of over 1,000 victims.
(Source: ICE.gov)

Even now, under Trump’s second term, HSI continues cracking down on trafficking rings. In Kansas City, a coordinated sting in 2025 led to the rescue of 31 victims, including 14 missing minors. This is the kind of work ICE does that the media rarely acknowledges.

The Deadliest Border in the World—Under Biden’s “Humane” Policies

During the Biden administration, the U.S.-Mexico border became the deadliest land border in the world. Despite promises of a more compassionate approach, the numbers tell a grim story.

In fiscal year 2022:

• At least 856 migrants died attempting to cross—the highest in U.S. history.
• Many perished due to extreme heat, dehydration, drowning, or cartel abandonment.
• Smugglers exploited policy confusion and lack of enforcement to route desperate migrants through deadly terrain.

“There’s nothing compassionate about encouraging people to die in the desert or suffocate in a trailer.”
— Border Patrol Union Spokesperson, 2023

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) confirmed it: the U.S.-Mexico border was the deadliest migration land route in the world in 2022.
(UN Report)
(CBP Data)

What caused the spike? A combination of open-border rhetoric, the end of effective deterrents like Title 42, and weakened interior enforcement under the Biden administration. These policies didn’t save lives—they cost them.

What About Undocumented Victims?

Here’s where ICE’s lesser-known role matters.

The T visa, established under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, allows undocumented victims of human trafficking to remain in the U.S. legally if they:

• Were trafficked (for labor or sex),
• Are physically present in the U.S. as a result,
• Cooperate with law enforcement (unless exempted),
• Would suffer “extreme hardship” if removed.

T visas offer:

• Legal stay for up to 4 years,
• A path to permanent residency (green card),
• Access to certain benefits and family protections.

But under the Biden administration, many of these pathways were overwhelmed by bureaucratic delays or undermined by enforcement rollback. Thousands of victims remained in limbo or were too afraid to come forward—especially as traffickers preyed on their fear of deportation.

Today, under Trump’s renewed enforcement policy, T visas remain an option—but time is of the essence.

More: USCIS – T Visa Information

Turning Yourself In vs. Being Caught

There’s a crucial difference between voluntarily contacting ICE and getting arrested by ICE. If someone illegally in the U.S. turns themselves in, they may qualify for voluntary departure—a legal way to leave without a formal removal order, thus avoiding the 10-year reentry ban that comes with deportation.

But if ICE finds you through enforcement, you’re likely barred from legally reentering the U.S. for a decade.

More: Voluntary Departure Info (NOLO)

For trafficking victims, turning yourself in could be the only way to apply for a T visa safely and avoid harsher consequences. The longer you wait, the fewer options remain.

Who’s Really Protecting the Vulnerable?

ICE has always been a political lightning rod—but rarely is the conversation honest. ICE is both an enforcement and rescue agency. Its Homeland Security Investigations branch is out there every day rescuing trafficked children, dismantling cartels, and identifying victims who might otherwise disappear into the shadows.

Under Biden’s so-called humanitarian model, more people died trying to enter the U.S. than ever before. Open-border rhetoric didn’t save lives—it cost them. And traffickers exploited every loophole.

Under Trump’s second term, immigration enforcement is tough—but targeted trafficking enforcement is saving lives. That story deserves to be told.

If you are undocumented and trafficked, there are legal lifelines available—but only if you come forward.

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Key Sources & Further Reading

• ICE: Human Trafficking Investigations
• UN Migration Report – Americas Border Deaths
• USCIS: T Visas for Victims
• Voluntary Departure Explained – NOLO
• Congress.gov: TVPA Summary