ICE Dismantles Nebraska Human Trafficking Network, Rescues 27 Victims Including 10 Children

August 20, 2025 - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, alongside federal, state, and local partners, dismantled a violent human trafficking ring operating out of motels and eyebrow salons in the Omaha metropolitan area, rescuing 27 victims—including 10 children under 12—from deplorable conditions.

The August 12 operation uncovered victims crammed into cockroach-infested rooms lacking basic sanitation, forced into sex and labor trafficking while the sites doubled as drug hubs. "Our brave ICE law enforcement rescued these children and women who were being sexually exploited and trafficked," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. "President Trump and Secretary Noem will not allow children and women to be victims of these heinous human trafficking rings. Our message to human traffickers is clear: we will dismantle your networks, and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

Five illegal aliens of Indian nationality face federal charges for conspiracy in labor trafficking, sex trafficking, and harboring undocumented non-citizens: Kentakumar Chaudhari (a.k.a. Ken Chaudhari), Rashmi Ajit Samani (a.k.a. Falguni Samani), Amit Prahladbhai Chaudhari (a.k.a. Amit), Amit Babubhai Chaudhari (a.k.a. Matt), and Maheshkumar Chaudhari (a.k.a. Mahesh). ICE issued detainers to ensure their detention post-criminal proceedings.

Authorities also detained 14 other illegal aliens found with victims, including Guillermo Infante Arevalo (Mexican national with child endangerment, drug, and firearm convictions), Eudis Enrique Cuellar-Martinez (Venezuelan with pending felony drug charges), and Pablo Martinez Canas (Salvadoran with multiple prior removals and a criminal trespass charge). Seizures included over $565,000 in cash and illicit drugs, with legal actions to forfeit implicated properties.

This bust exemplifies President Trump's second-term commitment to combating human trafficking, elevated as a top priority through executive orders and increased resources. Since January 2025, DHS has led operations rescuing over 1,200 victims nationwide—up 40% from the prior administration's annual average—while arresting more than 800 traffickers. The July 2025 DHS report highlighted intensified efforts against child sex and labor trafficking, with partnerships yielding a 25% rise in convictions.

President Trump's administration revived task forces dismantled under Biden, allocating $500 million in funding for victim services and border enforcement to curb smuggling networks. The 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report interim assessment noted improved U.S. prosecutions, with over 500 federal cases filed in the first half of the year alone. By targeting criminal rings like Nebraska's, these initiatives protect vulnerable populations and secure communities, fulfilling pledges to eradicate modern-day slavery.