Attorney General James Uthmeier and State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle Sign Historic Agreement to Combat Human Trafficking
Courtesy of the Office of the Attorney General
MIAMI, Fla.—Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that the Office of Statewide Prosecution and State Attorney Fernandez Rundle’s Human Trafficking Task Force formed an unprecedented partnership to combat human trafficking in South Florida. The partnership comes as Miami gears up for multiple large-scale events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Human traffickers are known to exploit large crowds and global events to gain new victims,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “With Miami preparing to host the World Cup, our office is deploying prosecutors and resources to enhance deterrence, prevention, investigation, and prosecution efforts. I am glad to partner with State Attorney Fernandez Rundle to bring our offices together and fight against human trafficking.”
“As millions of visitors recognize Miami-Dade County as a blossoming 2026 destination for national and international events, human traffickers also see our community as a target destination for their criminal activity,” said State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “The Attorney General’s assistance and this expanded partnership not only strengthens our efforts in arresting and prosecuting traffickers but also sends an unequivocally clear message that exploiting our children and vulnerable youth will never be tolerated in our community or anywhere in Florida.”
“I applaud the Attorney General for his participation in our anti-human trafficking program,” said Co-Chair of the Miami Host Committee for the FIFA World Cup Rodney Barreto. “Attorney General Uthmeier has consistently fought for justice as our state’s leading officer, and we are confident that with his involvement in this campaign, the threat of human trafficking during the World Cup in Florida will be addressed with the utmost seriousness and resolve.”
“The Office of Statewide Prosecution looks forward to working with State Attorney Fernandez Rundle’s team,” said Statewide Prosecutor Brad McVay. “Collaboration between law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities are critical when it comes to combating human trafficking. As Miami prepares to host multiple large-scale events this year, preventative efforts are more important than ever, and I am confident lives will be saved through this partnership.”
Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), the Office of Statewide Prosecution is now a member of State Attorney Fernandez Rundle’s Human Trafficking Task Force and will support the Task Force in preventing, deterring, investigating, and combating human trafficking and related organized crime.
Prosecutors from the Office of Statewide Prosecution and State Attorney’s Office will be cross-designated to provide single- and multi-circuit jurisdiction to ensure human traffickers are not outside the reach of the Task Force’s authority. The MOU also provides $1.5 million in operational funds to prevent, deter, investigate, and prosecute human trafficking and related organized crime.
Just this year, the Miami-Dade area has hosted multiple large-scale events, including the Orange Bowl, the NHL Winter Classic, and the NCAA Football Championship.
The events for the remainder of 2026 include:
- The World Baseball Classic,
- The Miami Open,
- Ultra Music Festival,
- The PGA Tour,
- The F1 Miami Grand Prix,
- NASCAR Cup Series Championship, and
- The G20 Summit
The public will be critical in Florida’s efforts to combat human trafficking. Anyone with information or suspicions of human trafficking is urged to report to Florida’s statewide human trafficking hotline: 855-FLA-SAFE.
To read the Memorandum of Understanding in full, click here.
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