USCIS Combats Human Trafficking
Posted by Alejandro Mayorkas, Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Every year, thousands of innocent men, women, and children are exploited in human trafficking schemes around the world and right here in the United States. Victims are often lured from their homes with false promises of well-paying jobs and a better life. They are instead forced or coerced into prostitution, domestic servitude, farm or factory work, or other types of forced labor.
At U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), we support the DHS Blue Campaign’s efforts to combat human trafficking by helping to protect victims of these horrible crimes. USCIS provides immigration relief in the form of T visas and U visas, which allow victims to remain in the United States and assist in the investigation or prosecution of the crime. These visas also provide a pathway to lawful permanent residence and permit certain family members to join them in the United States.
Earlier this month, Secretary Napolitano met Shiyma Hall, a brave young woman who was forced into domestic servitude when she was 9 years old. Today, Shiyma is free, and through the immigration benefits provided by USCIS, she is now a United States citizen. USCIS recently unveiled new resources and produced a video to highlight the immigration benefits available to victims of crime.
In addition, we provide regular Web-based trainings for law enforcement officials, and have provided more than 30 in-person trainings on combating human trafficking and the immigration benefits available for victims to Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials nationwide. We also contributed to the DHS U Visa Law Enforcement Certification Resource Guide, a new tool available to law enforcement officials to support investigations and prosecutions.
Given the sensitive nature of cases surrounding victims’ protection, USCIS implemented confidentiality safeguards for individuals with applications associated with Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions or T or U nonimmigrant petitions.
For more information on the Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking, visit www.dhs.gov/humantrafficking or www.uscis.gov/humantrafficking. In an emergency, call 911. To report human trafficking call the ICE tip line at 1-866-347-2423, and for related questions or to speak to a non-governmental representative, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.
Every year, thousands of innocent men, women, and children are exploited in human trafficking schemes around the world and right here in the United States. Victims are often lured from their homes with false promises of well-paying jobs and a better life. They are instead forced or coerced into prostitution, domestic servitude, farm or factory work, or other types of forced labor.
At U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), we support the DHS Blue Campaign’s efforts to combat human trafficking by helping to protect victims of these horrible crimes. USCIS provides immigration relief in the form of T visas and U visas, which allow victims to remain in the United States and assist in the investigation or prosecution of the crime. These visas also provide a pathway to lawful permanent residence and permit certain family members to join them in the United States.
Earlier this month, Secretary Napolitano met Shiyma Hall, a brave young woman who was forced into domestic servitude when she was 9 years old. Today, Shiyma is free, and through the immigration benefits provided by USCIS, she is now a United States citizen. USCIS recently unveiled new resources and produced a video to highlight the immigration benefits available to victims of crime.
In addition, we provide regular Web-based trainings for law enforcement officials, and have provided more than 30 in-person trainings on combating human trafficking and the immigration benefits available for victims to Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials nationwide. We also contributed to the DHS U Visa Law Enforcement Certification Resource Guide, a new tool available to law enforcement officials to support investigations and prosecutions.
Given the sensitive nature of cases surrounding victims’ protection, USCIS implemented confidentiality safeguards for individuals with applications associated with Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitions or T or U nonimmigrant petitions.
For more information on the Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking, visit www.dhs.gov/humantrafficking or www.uscis.gov/humantrafficking. In an emergency, call 911. To report human trafficking call the ICE tip line at 1-866-347-2423, and for related questions or to speak to a non-governmental representative, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.
Labels: Director's Posts
posted by USCIS Blog Team @ 12:14 PM
9 Comments
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9 Comments:
We donot have any problem with the law, we have wonderful laws. But the problem is at the awarenes level. Victims do not know about this law/provisions. Question is- how to make this information accessible to the victims. Second, we have various types of victims- some are trafficked for sexual pleasures, but we do have frudulent/fraud, forced marriages victims also, our law does not protect those victims. Prit Kaur
On UN mission of peace in economic produtivity prosperity
Has DHS put the polices needed in place to utilize this tool more often? Or is there still a wide variety of red tape that prevents effective utilization for the Survivors of trafficking?
It is the opinion of my associates and me, that T & U Visa’s serve more as an amnesty for illegal alien crime victims than as a tool to aggressively hunt down, deport or incarcerate perpetrators. These visa’s are yet another piece of several actions that the open borders/amnesty proponents are deploying, primarily for political gain.
No where on this Fed gov site can I find a place to REPORT a business that has hired illegals, provides them with transp to and from work and in the long run when the business was downsized who did they keep? The illegals. This site has more HELP for the illegals than for the US citizen trying to help our country stop this illegal practice. Now if the illegals weren't treated well , it seems there are many many ways to report that, Hmmmm.......it's sickening that we are providing so much help to those that shouldn't be here
Please stop processing H1B visas, for US citizens there are no proper stable jobs since last 3 years and let first the Government take some concrete measures then USCIS can think of doing H1B visas.
Currently there are more H1B visa holders than required in USA.
Please refer the below information about the H1B visas to country India:
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services has received about 22,000 petitions for the much sought after H-1B work visas in the first four days since it started accepting applications on April 2, officials said.
"We have received approximately 22,000 H-1B petitions for the fiscal 2013 beginning October 1 this year," US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) spokesperson Bill Wright said.
The USCIS official, however, was quick to note that these are preliminary figures.
The 22,000 H-1B petitions received in the first four days are from both the categories: Congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 in the general category and another 20,000 in the advance degree category.
These preliminary figures indicate that there has been an increase in the H-1B petitions this year as compared to the previous two years. However, the number of petitions is much less than previous years when the cap was reached on the very first day.
In 2011, in the first week, the USCIS had received approximately 5,900 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap, and approximately 4,500 petitions toward the 20,000 cap exemption for individuals with advanced degrees.
In 2010, USCIS had received only 13,500 petitions in the congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 in the first week and approximately 5,600 petitions for individuals with advanced degree.
USCIS, in 2009, had received 42,000 H-1B applications under the Congressional mandated quota of 65,000 in the first week. In the advanced degree category it received about similar number of applications.
US businesses use the H-1B programme to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields, such as scientists, engineers, or computer programmers. (PTI)
Humans are trafficked across the Southern border every day. What is being done to stop that?!
Second, I agree with the comment above me to stop processing H1B visas. No new people should be let in the USA (illegal or not), unless they are married to a "legal" American.
When the titanic was on fire and beginning to sink, it's not the best time to re-arrange the deck chairs. Put out the fire first, then go back to business as usual.
It is the opinion of my associates and me, that T & U Visas serve more as an amnesty for illegal alien crime victims than as a tool to aggressively hunt down
I just want to ask something, because i was a victim of human trafficking before but i didn't know what to do so i decided to change my status to Student visa. I was a working visa and i don't know about T and U visa.can i still complaint about it?thanks
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