North America

Human Trafficking in North America

Latest Walk Free estimates place just over 2 million people in modern slavery across the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The most recent UNODC regional overview shows that trafficking detected in North America is now largely domestic, with women and girls making up the largest share of detected victims.

All three countries criminalize trafficking under the UN anti-trafficking framework. The 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report highlights domestic sex trafficking, migrant labour exploitation and risks facing Indigenous communities and runaway youth.

North America Snapshot

2.0 Million+

Combined 2021 estimate for the United States, Mexico and Canada, published by Walk Free in 2023.

United States

1,091,000

Estimated people in modern slavery in 2021 (3.3 per 1,000 population)

Mexico

850,000

Estimated people in modern slavery in 2021 (6.6 per 1,000 population)

Canada

69,000

Estimated people in modern slavery in 2021 (1.8 per 1,000 population)

29%

Detected victims in North America who were children in 2022, according to UNODC (25% girls, 4% boys).

81%

Detected victims in North America who were women and girls in 2022, according to UNODC (56% women, 25% girls).

Regional Profiles

United States

United States

Large domestic trafficking market alongside cross-border cases. The 2025 TIP report continues to flag sex trafficking and forced labor in commercial sex, agriculture, construction, hospitality, and domestic work, with runaway youth and migrants at elevated risk.

2025 TIP Profile
Canada

Canada

Most detected cases remain domestic sex trafficking, while labor exploitation risks persist in caregiving, agriculture, food processing, and temporary foreign worker programs. Indigenous women and girls remain disproportionately affected.

2025 TIP Profile
Mexico

Mexico

Source, transit, and destination country for trafficking linked to migration routes, organized crime, and labor exploitation. Migrants, asylum seekers, children, and workers in agriculture, domestic work, and the informal economy face heightened risk.

2025 TIP Profile

Resources

Official Reports, Data and Policy

Organizations, Mechanisms and Initiatives

Further reading & recent updates

U.S. justice · Published January 2026

BJS trafficking statistics and tables

Justice-system measures, mainly from 2023. The report includes downloadable tables and a corrections log.

Open resource

Research · 2026

Housing services and interventions

Systematic review of 17 U.S. studies identifies service models and gaps in outcome evaluation.

Open resource

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