ENTERPRISE, Ala. (WDHN)—The U.S. Department of State estimates that anywhere from 600-to-800- thousand people each year are trafficked across international borders. The far majority are women and children.

At Enterprise City Hall, Mayor William Cooper surrounded by law enforcement and Councilman Scotty Johnson signed a proclamation declaring January as “human trafficking” awareness month.

Mayor Cooper says the problem exists in nearly every city and town across America.

The mayor has a “stern message” for those unscrupulous individuals looking to traffic
human beings in the “City of Progress”. Expect to feel the full weight of the law,
this form of modern-day slavery will not be tolerated.

Those arrested for human trafficking, often face charges at the local, state, and federal levels.