The United States Department of State has placed Saint Lucia on the Tier 2 Watch List in its 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, citing insufficient enforcement, inadequate victim protection, and a lack of measurable progress in combating human trafficking compared to previous years. This downgrade underscores the US government’s concerns about the island nation’s efforts to address this critical issue. While Saint Lucia has implemented initiatives such as public awareness campaigns and drafted a national action plan for 2023–2026, the US State Department concluded that the country failed to meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking or demonstrate significant improvements. Local officials, including Dr. Mashama Sealy of the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force (RSLPF), acknowledged the challenges but emphasized ongoing efforts to strengthen anti-trafficking measures. These include specialized training for officers, repatriation programs, and enhanced border patrols. However, the report highlighted weak enforcement, limited prosecutions, and gaps in victim services as key areas needing improvement. The downgrade has sparked concern among tourism and service sector workers, who fear it could tarnish Saint Lucia’s reputation. Industry representatives called for increased government resources and updated action plans to address trafficking effectively. Meanwhile, regional comparisons revealed mixed results for Caribbean nations, with The Bahamas, Guyana, and Suriname achieving Tier 1 status, while Barbados joined Saint Lucia on the Tier 2 Watch List. Countries like Haiti and Cuba were placed in Tier 3 or designated as special cases. Moving forward, Saint Lucia aims to enhance cross-border intelligence sharing, update operational strategies, and improve prosecutorial outcomes to regain credibility and address trafficking more effectively.