*EPF409 05/20/2004
Prosecution of Human Traffickers on the Rise in U.S.
(Justice Dept. report to Congress documents efforts) (610)

Washington -- A report issued by the Department of Justice May 18 reveals a steady increase in the number of defendants charged and convictions won in U.S. federal court cases related to forced labor or sexual exploitation of persons since enactment of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA).

The report also estimates between 14,500 to 17,500 people are trafficked annually into the United States and forced to work in violation of their human rights.

In 2003, Congress required the Justice Department to compile an annual report documenting the results of anti-trafficking efforts in the United States within a fiscal year, that is, between October 1 and September 30. The report, due annually to Congress in May, includes information on the number of persons charged or convicted for trafficking in persons, victims receiving federal benefits, persons applying for or receiving non-immigrant status, the amount and recipients of federal funding to carry out related programs, and the nature of training and outreach carried out within the fiscal year.

The first report of this kind, "The Report to Congress from Attorney General John Ashcroft on U.S. Efforts to Combat Trafficking in Persons in Fiscal Year 2003," reached Congress and the public on May 18. The complete report is available on the Department of Justice Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/ag/speeches/2004/050104agreporttocongresstvprav10.pdf

Following are some of the statistical highlights from the 42-page report.

INVESTIGATIONS AND PROSECUTIONS

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are responsible for investigating trafficking. In 1993, there were 12 trafficking investigations initiated. In 2003, 82 investigations were initiated, nearly seven times as many.

As of April 2004, the Department of Justice had 153 open trafficking investigations. Trafficking investigations have been initiated in 45 states. More than half of these investigations stem from the implementation of the "Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force Complaint Line," established in February 2000.

In 2003, 12 cases were filed, 31 defendants charged, and 26 were convicted of trafficking in persons. Summaries of the trafficking cases are provided in the report to Congress.

VICTIM ASSISTANCE

In 2003, the Department of Health and Human Services provided 151 certifications and benefits letters to victims, enabling them to receive a broad range of federal benefits and services. Six of these victims were children.

The types of exploitation the victims endured included sexual exploitation, involuntary domestic servitude, forced migrant agricultural labor and sweatshop labor. The countries of origin for the greatest number of victims were India (38 percent), Vietnam (11 percent), and Mexico (9 percent).

In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security received 601 applications for a visa that grants legal status to remain in the country, the T visa. The agency approved 297 requests and denied 30. Once a trafficking victim has maintained T nonimmigrant status for three years, he or she may apply to adjust status, a step leading toward permanent legal status. The United States is currently the only country that offers the possibility of permanent residency to victims of trafficking. Some victims chose repatriation to their home countries.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Trafficking is a transnational criminal enterprise, inherently harmful and dehumanizing. It is also linked to other criminal activities such as document fraud, money laundering and migrant smuggling. In 2002 and 2003, the U.S. government invested more than $146.8 million in international anti-trafficking efforts. In 2003, 90 countries benefited from U.S. assistance, and a number of these programs are profiled in the report to Congress.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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