Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is one of the most heinous crimes that ICE investigates. In its worst manifestation, human trafficking is akin to modern-day slavery. Victims pay to be illegally transported into the United States only to find themselves in the thrall of traffickers. They are forced into prostitution, involuntary labor and other forms of servitude to repay debts – often entry in the United States. In certain cases, the victims are mere children. They find themselves surrounded by an unfamiliar culture and language without identification documents, fearing for their lives and the lives of their families.

ICE is serious about ending human trafficking.

ICE relies on tips from the public to dismantle these organizations. ICE encourages you to keep your eyes and ears open to suspicious activity. Trafficking victims are often hidden in plain sight, voiceless and scared.

Human trafficking indicators include:

·  Does the victim possess identification and travel documents? If not, who has control of these documents?

· Did the victim travel to a destination country for a specific job or purpose and is victim engaged in different employment than expected?

·Is victim forced to perform sexual acts as part of employment?

·   Is the victim a juvenile engaged in commercial sex?

· Does the victim owe money to an employer or does the employer hold wages?

·   Did the employer instruct the victim on what to say to law enforcement or immigration officials?

·   Can the victim freely leave employment or the situation?

·Are there guards at work/harboring site or video cameras to monitor and ensure no one escapes?

· Does the victim have freedom of movement? Can they freely contact family and friends? Can they socialize or attend religious services?

Trafficking in Persons is defined as:

·  Sex trafficking in which a commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud or coercion, or in which the person induced to perform such act has not attained 18 years of age; or

·  The recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage or slavery.

Recent Investigations :

·  Fifteen members of a sex trafficking organization have been charged with forcing at least 17 young Mexican women into prostitution in New York.

·Thirty-four individuals affiliated with a Somali gang were charged with sex trafficking seven young girls across state lines in Minnesota and Tennessee.

· Four Togolese nationals were convicted of labor trafficking in New Jersey. These individuals brought 13 adult females and seven juvenile females to the United States from Togo, Africa and forced them to work in hair braiding salons.

How to avoid becoming a human trafficking victim

·    Be wary of very attractive work opportunities.

·    If you are offered a very attractive work opportunity outside your country, make sure you ask lots of detailed questions and get convincing answers.

·   Contact the embassy of country in which you are thinking of working before you travel, and make sure your register at your national embassy as soon as you arrive in the country of your work.

·    Read employment offers and contracts carefully before you sign them.

·   Seek advice and guidance from people with occupational and legal experience before taking the job.

·   Ensure you leave your address and telephone numbers with family members and friends before you travel (these details shall be ascertained before travelling).

·   Keep a copy of your passport and ID card in a safe place.

·   Know your rights and duties fully before agreeing to any employment offer.

·   Avoid employment offers that come through the internet.

·   Be wary of offers of engagement and marriage that come through the internet.