Washington,USA – 2025-10-01 

The United States has dramatically escalated its diplomatic response to human trafficking in North Africa, with the State Department issuing stern accusations against Tunisia and Algeria and confirming the launch of an official investigation into the alleged complicity of government officials in the ‘human trade.’

The latest US Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, released by the Secretary of State, placed both Tunisia and Algeria on the Tier 2 Watch List, a status indicating that while the countries are making “significant efforts” to combat trafficking, they are not meeting the minimum international standards and the number of victims is escalating.

Alarming Allegations of Official Collusion in Tunisia

The language used in the section on Tunisia is particularly alarming. The report detailed “increased allegations of official complicity in trafficking crimes,” providing shocking testimony that some Tunisian security and border officials are allegedly colluding with criminal networks. Specifically, reports detail officials “selling” intercepted migrants—many of them sub-Saharan Africans—to Libyan authorities and armed groups, who then exploit them in forced labour and sex trafficking rings.

“The government did not take adequate law enforcement action against allegedly complicit officials, and corruption remained a significant concern, inhibiting action during the year,” the State Department noted. The report also directly linked xenophobic public statements from senior Tunisian government figures to increased vulnerability, making undocumented migrants more hesitant to report crimes due to fear of arbitrary arrest and deportation.

Algeria’s Rising Case Load

Algeria, also placed on the Tier 2 Watch List, was cited for a rise in trafficking investigations and the identification of victims, a welcome sign of effort, but still falling short of international requirements. The country continues to be a crucial transit point for foreign nationals seeking to reach Europe, with the government identifying 139 victims in the reporting period—a significant increase—with the majority being foreign nationals exploited in forced labour. The TIP Report urged the Algerian government to ensure the safe and voluntary repatriation of foreign victims and provide them with legal alternatives to removal to prevent retribution.

US foreign affairs officials have publicly confirmed that the gravity of the accusations, especially those concerning state-sponsored or officially colluded trafficking in Tunisia, has necessitated a formal, concerted investigation. This probe will involve US federal law enforcement agencies and is expected to cooperate with international bodies to identify the structures and officials involved in the transnational trafficking operations across the North African migration route. The ultimate goal is to hold complicit individuals accountable and ensure that no US foreign assistance inadvertently supports units involved in human rights abuses.

Headline Points:

 * Official US Report: The US State Department’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report has placed both Tunisia and Algeria on the Tier 2 Watch List, citing failures to meet minimum standards for elimination of human trafficking.

 * Complicity Allegations: The report highlights “increased allegations of official complicity” in trafficking crimes within Tunisia, including accounts of border officials allegedly ‘selling’ migrants to armed groups in Libya.

 * Investigation Launched: US foreign affairs officials have confirmed that a joint interagency investigation is underway to probe the scale of state-sponsored trafficking allegations in the region.

 * Vulnerable Migrants: Both countries are cited as major transit and destination points where sub-Saharan African migrants face severe exploitation, forced labour, and sexual violence.

 * Xenophobic Rhetoric: The TIP Report specifically calls out xenophobic rhetoric from high-level Tunisian officials for increasing the vulnerability of undocumented migrants.

Washington Launches Probe into North African ‘Human Trade’ Networks