Operation Underground Railroad

Volunteer Opportunities: Yes

History

Operation Underground Railroad (O.U.R.) was founded in 2013 by Tim Ballard. Ballard worked as a Special Agent for the Department of Homeland Security for more than ten years, where he was deployed as an undercover operative. He spent much of that time as a member of the Child Sex Tourism Jump Team and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC)Task Force. Because of jurisdictional restraints, it was not legal for the US government to engage in many cases overseas, particularly where there was no prosecutorial nexus back to the United States; however a private organization would have more flexibility. After much contemplation, Ballard decided to leave his position, realizing a public/private partnership between the government and a non-profit entity would be the ideal solution that would truly eradicate child slavery once and for all.

Mission

"To shine a light worldwide on the global epidemic of child sex trafficking, and in so doing rescue more children from slavery and assist law enforcement to seek justice for those who violate children."