United States of America - January has again been declared National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the United States by US President Barack Obama. Wednesday, 11 January, also marked the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness.

One of the most common myths about human trafficking is that it only happens in less developed countries. This is incorrect – it happens everywhere.

“From factories and brothels to farms and mines, millions of men, women and children in the United States and around the world are exploited for their bodies and their labour,” said President Obama in his Presidential Proclamation in late December 2016.

The hidden nature of human trafficking makes it difficult to collect accurate data. In addition, many victims of trafficking (VoTs) prefer to remain silent because they are scared of reprisals from their traffickers or they do not trust US law enforcement personnel.

Nonetheless, since 2007, the National Human Trafficking Hotline has identified nearly 30,000 cases of potential trafficking victims from all 50 states, Washington, DC, and US territories. Out of 5,747 cases reported to the Hotline in 2016, 1,085 were reported by foreign nationals and 1,608 involved US citizens or lawful permanent residents. These numbers only represent cases registered by the Hotline.

The United States is considered “a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, transgender individuals, and children – both US citizens and foreign nationals – subjected to sex trafficking and forced labour,” according to the US Department of State’s 2016 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report.

The 2016 TIP Report mentions that VoTs include documented and undocumented immigrants. Although victims originate from every region of the world, the top three origin countries of identified victims in Fiscal Year 2015 were the United States itself, Mexico and the Philippines.

While anyone can become a VoT, undocumented immigrants are particularly vulnerable, because of their immigration status and the higher likelihood of having a lower level of education, inability to speak English and lack of familiarity with US employment protections.

Since 2000, foreign VoTs have been entitled to federal immigration protections through the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) signed by former President George W. Bush.

Under US law, foreign trafficking victims may receive immigration relief in several ways, including short-term Continued Presence and longer-term “T non-immigrant status” (commonly referred to as the “T visa”). Both statuses confer the right to work legally in the United States. “U non-immigrant status” is another immigration benefit – available to victims of 32 different crimes, including VoTs.

IOM Washington operates a Return, Reintegration, and Family Reunification Program for Victims of Trafficking in the United States funded by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration. It assists trafficking survivors with legal status in the United States to bring their eligible family members who have been granted derivative visas.

The program provides financial and logistical support for these family members, including pre-departure assistance, travel arrangements and documentation, airport assistance and special escorts for unaccompanied children. 

For trafficked persons who wish to return to their countries of origin from the United States, the program also works to ensure their safe return to and reintegration in home communities.  This may include pre-departure assistance with travel documentation, transportation arrangements and reception upon arrival by IOM partners.

To reduce the likelihood of re-trafficking, IOM works with NGO partners to provide needed reintegration assistance. Since the program began in 2005, it has helped approximately 1,900 eligible family members join over 800 VoTs with legal status in the United States and assisted 30 survivors return home voluntarily.

For further information please contact Hajer Naili at IOM Washington DC, Tel: + 1 202 568 3757, Email: hnaili@iom.int