January 25, 2024 - Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led members of the Nevada Congressional delegation — including Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Representatives Dina Titus (D-Nev.), Steven Horsford (D-Nev.), and Susie Lee (D-Nev.) – in a letter expressing their desire to work together with the National Football League (NFL) and the Super Bowl LVIII Host Committee to combat human trafficking ahead of the Super Bowl. In the letter, the lawmakers ask for information about the NFL’s efforts to support local nonprofits and provide training to their teams, players, and staff about the issue.

Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.)

“We want to ensure we’re working together to prevent and respond to any increase inhuman trafficking that could occur alongside this major event,” the lawmakers wrote. “In Nevada, hundreds of cases of human trafficking are reported every year, with Las Vegas being particularly impacted.Currently, non-profits and law enforcement in Nevada are preparing for a possible influx of human trafficking around the Super Bowl.”

“We know it’s a priority for the National Football League (NFL) and its philanthropic foundation to raise awareness about and take steps to address human trafficking issues,” the lawmakers continued. “We are eager to work with you to make sure that Nevada, the United States, and the NFL are prepared to crack down on human trafficking ahead of the Super Bowl and in the future.”

There are concerns that large sporting events often lead to an increase in human trafficking. Earlier this year, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department (LVMPD) made 70 arrests and identified over 200 victims during an operation to crack down on sex trafficking during the F1 race in November.

You can read the full letter here.

Senator Cortez Masto is a national leader in the fight against trafficking and exploitation. She wrote the law making human trafficking a felony in Nevada as Attorney General, and her federal legislation to help train law enforcement to identify and prevent child trafficking and to combat human trafficking activity on social media was recently signed into law. She recently introduced the bipartisan Jimmy Deal Trafficking Survivors Assistance Act to help human trafficking survivors access air travel so they can escape traffickers and get the care they need. This past summer, the Senator helped seat Nevada trafficking survivor Annika Huff on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking.
Source: U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto