The Polaris Project, which oversees the hotline that whistleblowers say regularly fails to refer tips to law enforcement for investigation, has longstanding ties to the Department of Health and Human Services office that oversees its grant, raising concerns about whether the nonprofit is facing proper scrutiny for its contract.
Polaris, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit that administers the National Human Trafficking Hotline, has faced scrutiny from Congress in recent months after whistleblowers came forward alleging that the hotline was failing to report tips to law enforcement over several years, generating concerns from state attorneys general, Just the News previously reported.
Last month, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, presented evidence turned over to Congress by an anonymous employee of Polaris detailing the prior allegations. The whistleblowers’ disclosures, Grassley wrote, “appear to confirm the allegations that Polaris is not reporting instances of potential human trafficking to law enforcement.”
Grassley’s letter highlighted that earlier this year, Polaris’ hotline failed to report to law enforcement at least two instances of possible sex trafficking involving minors. Polaris says that it “supports survivors’ right to choose what those next steps might be” including reports to law enforcement, “[except] in situations involving potential abuse of a minor or if we believe a person is in imminent danger.”
The whistleblower evidence follows repeated letters from bipartisan groups of state attorneys general raising concerns with the federal health agency that Polaris was failing to report tips to its hotline despite the million-dollar contract and efforts by past administrations to ensure the nonprofit was better cooperating with local law enforcement. The most recent letter was delivered to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy in February and signed by 41 state attorneys general.
Hellbound and Down 