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“We are detaining survivors instead of supporting them, perpetuating cycles of trauma rather than breaking them,” Jose Alfaro said.
Jose Alfaro in 2022. Craig F. Walker/Boston Globe
A Boston-based advocate and human trafficking survivor recently resigned from the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking in an act of protest against the Trump administration.
Jose Alfaro announced his resignation on LinkedIn this week, saying that the decision was difficult but ultimately necessary. Recent executive orders have undermined Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, and defunded services for LGBTQ+ people and crime victims, he said.
“Each of these acts amplifies the vulnerabilities that fuel human trafficking, creating an environment where survivors are further marginalized and victimized,” Alfaro wrote.
He was appointed to the Advisory Council on Human Trafficking in 2024, under the Biden administration. The body, which was created in 2015, is made up of human trafficking survivors that are appointed by the president to two-year terms. It currently consists of 11 members, and Alfaro’s name has been removed from the council’s official website.
The council is tasked with providing advice and recommendations to government officials, reviewing federal policies, and publishing an annual report with its findings. The most recent report, which was released in late 2024, includes findings from the council’s trips to Alaska and the Texas-Mexico border. It contains a number of recommendations for the federal government. Alfaro is listed as the council’s secretary in that report.
Alfaro is a Texas native who has been open about his past as a human trafficking victim and his desire to help other young people find the resources they need. Alfaro was the victim of a Houston man who eventually received a 30-year prison sentence for his crimes, GBH reported in 2021.
The Trump administration’s actions are severely hampering efforts to combat human trafficking, Alfaro said.
“The harm inflicted upon immigrants, the pervasive presence of ICE in our communities, and the chilling silence on issues such as the Epstein files are stark reminders of our failures,” Alfaro wrote. “We are detaining survivors instead of supporting them, perpetuating cycles of trauma rather than breaking them. How can we claim to combat trafficking while ignoring the systemic injustices that create fertile ground for exploitation?”
The Trump administration has received criticism for the delayed release of another human trafficking report, and its apparent removal of information about LGBTQ+ people from that document.
The 2025 Trafficking in Persons report was released last September, months after it was supposed to be delivered to Congress. Advocates for human trafficking survivors said that the report removed crucial information about LGBTQ+ and immigrant survivors.
The administration reportedly gutted the government office responsible for combating human trafficking, laying off many workers last year.
For Alfaro, the decision to resign was needed to highlight the harmful policies of the Trump administration.
“I was once honored to serve on this council, but I can no longer align myself with a leadership that fails to recognize these violations of human rights,” he wrote. “I hope that my resignation serves as a clarion call for the change we desperately need.”
Ross Cristantiello
Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more.
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