The
U.S. Government is trying to stop a very serious problem—the
problem of human trafficking. We are giving you this information
because we want you to know that everybody in the United States
has rights and is protected by our laws. Freedom is one of the
most important rights. In the United States, no one—matter
how powerful that person may be in the United States or in another
country—has the right to force other people to work. No
one can:
- Force
you to work against your will;
- Collect
a debt by using threats or forcing you to work
to pay the debt;
- Force
you to work using threats to harm you or your family;
- Force
or pressure you into prostitution or to do other sexual
acts;
- Use you
for any kind of sex work if you are under 18;
- Take away
your passport, birth certificate, or identification card
to control
you or your
movements.
 If
any of these things has happened to you, you might be a victim
of
a serious crime.
You
are not alone.
Please talk to us. We can help you.
Your
Safety...
We want you to be safe. Remember, you are now away
from the
people who hurt you, and we can help you plan how to
be safe. We may
also be able to help your family if they are in danger
from the traffickers.
We
can help you find:
- Emergency
medical assistance;
- Emergency
food and shelter;
- Translation
services;
- Counseling
and legal assistance.
Every federal
law enforcement agency has someone who can help victims
and answer questions.
If you are a victim, this person
can tell you about community agencies and programs
that can help you. You can find the address
and phone number
of your
local
FBI office on this website.
We
Want to Stop People Who Hurt You...
We
will see if criminal charges can be brought against
those who hurt
you, but we need your help. We would like to
talk to you about what happened to you. It is important to
tell us
the truth.
If you are afraid of someone, please tell us.
We will try to protect
you and your family, and we won’t give
your name or the names of your family members
to the
public.
Some people
may tell you not to trust immigration agents, other federal
agents, or the police. Don’t believe
them. The people who say these things want
you to be
afraid of the
people who can help you the most. Please call
us. We can help you.
There may
be ways for you to stay in the United States while
we investigate your case, even if you don’t
have the proper papers. If you are a victim
of trafficking
in persons,
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement may
let you stay in the
United States.
You may also get a work permit.
Staying
in the United States or Going Home...
You also
may be
able to stay
in the United
States for a longer time depending upon
your situation. Some of the
ways
you may be
able to stay in the United States include:
- The
T visa, a program for certain trafficking in persons
victims;
- The U visa, a program for certain crime victims who have been hurt
and
are working with law
enforcement officials;
- The S visa, a program for certain people helping in criminal investigations;
- Asylum,
a program for certain people who have experienced
or are facing
persecution in their
home country.
Help
For Victims
 There may be other immigration
programs that are
right for you. It
is
important to talk with an immigration
lawyer or community organization
that can advise
you about
your choices.
A victim specialist may be able to
help you
find a free or
low-cost
lawyer.
If you
want to go back to your home country,
please talk to us or contact your
victim specialist,
a community
organization,
or
your own lawyer.
For help,
call 1-888-428-7581 (Voice and TTY). |
