US Anti-Trafficking Program . . . Rearranging Deck Chairs on the Titanic???

Authors

Linda Brandmiller, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of San AntonioFollow

Date of this Version

2011

Document Type

Article

Comments

Presentation for 2011 Interdisciplinary Conference on Human Trafficking, September 29 - October 1, 2011, Lincoln, Nebraska. Copyright © 2011 Linda Brandmiller.

Abstract

The significant financial investment that the US government continues to make in its anti-trafficking program should be yielding much greater results by now. Instead, there has not been a considerable increase in victims identified (despite data suggesting this is a significant problem) nor has there been an increase in the number of international trafficking victims that have been granted a T-Visa (despite over ten years in existence). Two years ago at this conference I presented “Which Comes First, the Smuggling or the Trafficking?” At that time, I explained that the Immigration Department of Catholic Charities San Antonio has been identifying more and more clients whom we believe are by definition statutorily eligible to be considered “trafficking” victims yet trafficking “experts” are refusing to certify them. In particular, I described two clients, who were denied certifications- one because she wanted to come to the US (and therefore “consented”) and the other because her case wasn’t “big enough”. Both of these clients recently received their T-visas, vindicating their stories and highlighting the HUGE disconnect between the government’s investment in anti-trafficking programs and what ultimately is being accomplished in this arena. There appears to be a strange “competition” for the trafficking victim as a number but precious few programs that are willing to do the difficult and time-consuming work involved that will actually assist the victim and/or fix this problem… hence, they are essentially rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. Questions this Power Point Session Will Answer: ? Why is it important to screen clients as possible trafficking victims? ? How do you find a trafficking victim? (tips on interviewing) ? What are your options if you can’t get your client certified as a trafficking victim? ? What can be done to improve the anti-trafficking system for these victims?