Trafficking of Humans

Sometimes people are brought to the U.S. and forced to work or be a prostitute until they pay back the people who brought them here. This is called "trafficking." It is illegal to engage in the trafficking of humans. Under federal law "severe forms of trafficking" 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 an act is under 18 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 subjecting that person to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

To report trafficking in persons call

• 1-888-428-7581

Victims' Access to Victim Specialists

Victims of severe forms of trafficking may be eligible for a number of benefits and services regardless of immigration status. If they agree to help law enforcement agencies to catch the people who brought them to the U.S., victims of severe forms of trafficking may be allowed to remain in the U.S. Federal agencies such as the FBI, INS (now BCIS), and U.S. Attorney's offices have victim specialists who assist victims of federal crimes throughout federal criminal investigations and prosecutions. Victim specialists ensure that victims receive information about their rights and referrals to necessary services.

Federal Bureau of Investigations

• 612-376-3200

Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly "INS")

• 1-800-375-5283

U.S. Attorneys' offices

• 612-664-5600

Other resources for victims of trafficking:

Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice

• 1-202-514-5780

National Domestic Violence Hotline:

• 1-800-799-7233;
• 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)

Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, U.S. Department of State

• 1-202-312-9639

Office of Refugee Resettlement,

• 1-202-401-9246

Office for Victims of Crime, U.S. Department of Justice,

• 1-800-627-6872 or
• 1-800-712-9279 (TTY)

Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force,

• 1-888-428-7581

Violence Against Women Office (VAWO), U.S. Department of Justice

• 1-202-307-6026

Civil Society, a non-government and non-profit organization…….

• (651) 291-8810

This information is from Trafficking in Persons: A Guide for Non-Governmental Organizations, by the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of State.