Â鶹ÒùÔº

, the New England Patriots' billionaire owner, recently made headlines when he was charged with two counts of soliciting prostitution. The women involved were undocumented Chinese immigrants who were human trafficking victims at the spa in .

like this one, which ensnared about 100 other far less prominent alleged perpetrators and a , have become across the . They highlight the faced by of vulnerable people.

While conducting research about human trafficking in and , I've observed that grassroots nonprofits are often effective in addressing .

Good models

While no one knows , is getting more attention today. This higher profile has given rise to what the criminology researchers and call a "," which they describe as a "tangled web of agendas, priorities, policies and ideological underpinnings."

In turn, cases like , a Cambodian woman who was praised by celebrities before resigning from her organization in scandal, show that some and to the public for their own financial gain. Fighting human trafficking has become a , with a dozen countries spending more than .

But many witness this exploitation firsthand with the people they serve directly and do make a difference.

One excellent nonprofit model is the , a Florida human rights organization that fights for decent farm worker compensation. Its anti-trafficking and advocacy work has led to . Most notably, the group has collaboratively developed a to ensure that pay farm workers adequately and treat them more ethically.

Another exemplary model is the in Thailand. The nonprofit aids children who have been sexually and physically abused and trafficked, many of whom are from Burma, Laos and Cambodia.

Realizing that the issue of child exploitation coincides with issues of poverty and vulnerability, the organization also helps law enforcement authorities to hold perpetrators accountable. They also participate in together with , and leaders to address the root causes of trafficking.

Immigration policies

Here in the U.S., the Trump administration's efforts to slow the pace of immigration are making conditions more and causing an uptick in . , they tend to , not less.

This is not unique, however. Many other countries, including Thailand, are using . Their leaders often try to achieve political ends by demonizing .

President Donald Trump has repeatedly claimed that one benefit of the he wants built would be curbing . I do not believe that rationale for his harsh immigration policies adds up.

Like many experts, I see no the wall will stop trafficking. Although other complex humanitarian crises exist on , any won't resolve the issues that jeopardized them in the first place.

In addition, he has maligned immigrants, calling alleged undocumented gang members "" or "." This kind of disparaging of newcomers can , two psychologists have found.

To be sure, Trump has signed several important laws, including one that . The White House continues, however, to pressure legislators to tie stronger border security to human trafficking, which distracts from the .

It is also troubling that Trump is a longtime friend of men accused and convicted of crimes involving human trafficking, including and Kraft. The of him posing with Li "Cindy" Yang, a political donor and the founder of the Florida spa chain embroiled in the prostitution bust. The photos were taken weeks earlier, at a Mar-a-Lago , and Yang no longer owns the spas and has not been charged.

Discourage exploitation

The types of policies I think would help would and , while at the same time not restricting migration in ways that make .

In Southeast Asia, I've seen that and from , and are more , not because of a weak border, but because those on the wrong side of it have .

I believe the same dynamic holds true here in North America and in all areas where the world's estimated are being forced to work for little or no pay.

The new law , and many major organizations like , and support the law. Yet Trump immediately undercut its effectiveness by , saying, "This really is an invasion of our country by human traffickers." In my view, his words undermined at least some of the potential positive impact of this new funding.

I recommend continuing collaborative efforts without sensationalizing with misinformed rhetoric. I also believe that Trump should focus anti-trafficking messages on the abuse of power and the exploitation of the vulnerable instead of taking advantage of trafficking to push for a border wall.

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .