President Donald Trump says he'll bring the "full force and weight" of the United States government to end human trafficking, something he calls an "epidemic".
The president met Thursday with representatives of organizations that deal with trafficking.
A White House official who was in the room tells Beltway Buzz the meeting was emotional, informative and productive.
The president's daughter, Ivanka Trump, was also in the meeting and, according to the same official, looks forward to working with the groups to find solutions that will put an end to the horrific practice.
It's an issue Ivanka cares about deeply and reports indicate she was the driving force behind the meeting. Still, the White House maintains she holds no official role in the administration.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline received nearly 27,000 calls last year and identified more than 7,500 human trafficking cases in the U.S. The highest number of cases were reported from California followed by Texas and Florida.
Christians have played a crucial role in helping victims, advocating for change and working to end this modern day slavery.
The most cases come in the form of sex trafficking girls and women. However, people are also trafficked for labor.