6 U.S.C. § 242 — Department of Homeland Security Blue

Page 131 TITLE 6—DOMESTIC SECURITY § 242 1 See References in Text note below. § 242. Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign (a) Definition In this section, the term ‘‘human trafficking’’ means an act or practice described in paragraph (9) or (10) 1 of section 7102 of title 22. (b) Establishment There is established within the Department a program, which shall be known as the ‘‘Blue Campaign’’. The Blue Campaign shall be headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by the Secretary. (c) Purpose The purpose of the Blue Campaign shall be to unify and coordinate Department efforts to ad- dress human trafficking. (d) Responsibilities The Secretary, working through the Director, shall, in accordance with subsection (e)— (1) issue Department-wide guidance to ap- propriate Department personnel; (2) develop training programs for such per- sonnel; (3) coordinate departmental efforts, includ- ing training for such personnel; and (4) provide guidance and training on trauma- informed practices to ensure that human traf- ficking victims are afforded prompt access to victim support service providers, in addition to the assistance required under section 7105 of title 22, to address their immediate and long- term needs. (e) Guidance and training The Blue Campaign shall provide guidance and training to Department personnel and other Federal, State, tribal, and law enforcement per- sonnel, as appropriate, regarding— (1) programs to help identify instances of human trafficking; (2) the types of information that should be collected and recorded in information tech- nology systems utilized by the Department to help identify individuals suspected or con- victed of human trafficking; (3) systematic and routine information shar- ing within the Department and among Fed- eral, State, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies regarding— (A) individuals suspected or convicted of human trafficking; and (B) patterns and practices of human traf- ficking; (4) techniques to identify suspected victims of trafficking along the United States border and at airport security checkpoints; (5) methods to be used by the Transportation Security Administration and personnel from other appropriate agencies to— (A) train employees of the Transportation Security Administration to identify sus- pected victims of trafficking; and (B) serve as a liaison and resource regard- ing human trafficking prevention to appro- priate State, local, and private sector avia- tion workers and the traveling public; (6) developing and utilizing, in consultation with the Blue Campaign Advisory Board estab- lished pursuant to subsection (g), resources such as indicator cards, fact sheets, pam- phlets, posters, brochures, and radio and tele- vision campaigns to— (A) educate partners and stakeholders; and (B) increase public awareness of human trafficking; (7) leveraging partnerships with State and local governmental, nongovernmental, and private sector organizations to raise public awareness of human trafficking; and (8) any other activities the Secretary deter- mines necessary to carry out the Blue Cam- paign. (f) Web-based training programs To enhance training opportunities, the Direc- tor of the Blue Campaign shall develop web- based interactive training videos that utilize a learning management system to provide online training opportunities. During the 10-year pe- riod beginning on the date that is 90 days after December 27, 2021, such training opportunities shall be made available to the following individ- uals: (1) Federal, State, local, Tribal, and terri- torial law enforcement officers. (2) Non-Federal correction system personnel. (3) Such other individuals as the Director de- termines appropriate. (g) Blue Campaign Advisory Board (1) In general There is established in the Department a Blue Campaign Advisory Board, which shall be comprised of representatives assigned by the Secretary from— (A) the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties of the Department; (B) the Privacy Office of the Department; and (C) not fewer than four other separate components or offices of the Department. (2) Charter The Secretary is authorized to issue a char- ter for the Blue Campaign Advisory Board, and such charter shall specify the following: (A) The Board’s mission, goals, and scope of its activities. (B) The duties of the Board’s representa- tives. (C) The frequency of the Board’s meetings. (3) Consultation The Director shall consult the Blue Cam- paign Advisory Board and, as appropriate, ex- perts from other components and offices of the Center for Countering Human Trafficking of the Department regarding the following: (A) Recruitment tactics used by human traffickers to inform the development of training and materials by the Blue Cam- paign. (B) The development of effective awareness tools for distribution to Federal and non- Federal officials to identify and prevent in- stances of human trafficking. (C) Identification of additional persons or entities that may be uniquely positioned to Page 132 TITLE 6—DOMESTIC SECURITY § 242a recognize signs of human trafficking and the development of materials for such persons. (h) Consultation With regard to the development of programs under the Blue Campaign and the implementa- tion of such programs, the Director is author- ized to consult with State, local, Tribal, and ter- ritorial agencies, non-governmental organiza- tions, private sector organizations, and experts. (Pub. L. 107–296, title IV, § 434, as added Pub. L. 115–125, § 2(a), Feb. 14, 2018, 132 Stat. 315; amend- ed Pub. L. 117–81, div. F, title LXIV, § 6407, Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2403.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT Paragraphs (9) and (10) of section 7102 of title 22, re- ferred to in subsec. (a), were redesignated pars. (11) and (12), respectively, of section 7102 of title 22 by Pub. L. 115–427, § 2(1), Jan. 9, 2019, 132 Stat. 5503. AMENDMENTS 2021—Subsec. (e)(6). Pub. L. 117–81, § 6407(1), sub- stituted ‘‘developing and utilizing, in consultation with the Blue Campaign Advisory Board established pursu- ant to subsection (g), resources’’ for ‘‘utilizing re- sources,’’ in introductory provisions. Subsecs. (f) to (h). Pub. L. 117–81, § 6407(2), added sub- secs. (f) to (h). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries TRANSFER OF OTHER FUNCTIONS RELATED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING Pub. L. 117–322, § 6, Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4436, pro- vided that: ‘‘(a) BLUE CAMPAIGN.—The functions and resources of the Blue Campaign located within the Office of Part- nership and Engagement on the day before the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 27, 2022] are hereby transferred to CCHT [Center for Countering Human Trafficking]. ‘‘(b) OTHER TRANSFER.— ‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security may transfer the functions and resources of any component, directorate, or other of- fice of the Department of Homeland Security related to combating human trafficking to the CCHT. ‘‘(2) NOTIFICATION.—Not later than 30 days before executing any transfer authorized under paragraph (1), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall notify the Committee on Homeland Security and Govern- mental Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives of such planned transfer.’’ INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS Pub. L. 115–125, § 3, Feb. 14, 2018, 132 Stat. 316, provided that: ‘‘Not later than one year after the date of the en- actment of this Act [Feb. 14, 2018], the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure, in accordance with the Department of Homeland Security-wide guidance required under section 434(d) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 [6 U.S.C. 242(d)], as added by section 2 of this Act, the integration of information technology systems utilized within the Department to record and track in- formation regarding individuals suspected or convicted of human trafficking (as such term is defined in such section).’’ § 242a. Department of Homeland Security Center for Countering Human Trafficking (a) Establishment (1) In general The Secretary of Homeland Security shall operate, within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investiga- tions, the Center for Countering Human Traf- ficking (referred to in this Act as ‘‘CCHT’’). (2) Purpose The purpose of CCHT shall be to serve at the forefront of the Department of Homeland Se- curity’s unified global efforts to counter human trafficking through law enforcement operations and victim protection, prevention, and awareness programs. (3) Administration Homeland Security Investigations shall— (A) maintain a concept of operations that identifies CCHT participants, funding, core functions, and personnel; and (B) update such concept of operations, as needed, to accommodate its mission and the threats to such mission. (4) Personnel (A) Director The Secretary of Homeland Security shall appoint a CCHT Director, who shall— (i) be a member of the Senior Executive Service; and (ii) serve as the Department of Homeland Security’s representative on human traf- ficking. (B) Minimum core personnel requirements Subject to appropriations, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ensure that CCHT is staffed with at least 45 employees in order to maintain continuity of effort, subject matter expertise, and necessary support to the Department of Homeland Security, in- cluding— (i) employees who are responsible for the Continued Presence Program and other victim protection duties; (ii) employees who are responsible for training, including curriculum develop- ment, and public awareness and education; (iii) employees who are responsible for stakeholder engagement, Federal inter- agency coordination, multilateral partner- ships, and policy; (iv) employees who are responsible for public relations, human resources, evalua- tion, data analysis and reporting, and in- formation technology; (v) special agents and criminal analysts necessary to accomplish its mission of combating human trafficking and the im- portation of goods produced with forced labor; and (vi) managers. (b) Operations Unit The CCHT Director shall operate, within CCHT, an Operations Unit, which shall, at a minimum— (1) support criminal investigations of human trafficking (including sex trafficking and forced labor)—