Immigration Consultant Scammer in California Gets Harsh Sentencing

The former owner of an immigration consulting business who defrauded more than 150 clients from multiple states has been sentenced to 81 months in federal prison following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Armando Garcia, 60, of Tijuana, Mexico, pleaded guilty in June 2011 to aggravated identity theft and related conspiracy charges for operating a fraudulent consulting business with offices in Pico Rivera and National City. At his sentencing hearing Monday, March 5, the judge ordered Garcia to return to court May 7 to determine the amount of restitution he owes his victims.

Garcia's co-defendant and business associate, Elizabeth Alcocer, 48, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, pleaded guilty to mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and related conspiracy charges in August 2010. Alcocer is scheduled to be sentenced March 19 before U.S. District Court Judge Michael M. Anello.

"As the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, one of HSI's top enforcement priorities is targeting the criminals and criminal organizations that undermine the integrity of our nation's legal immigration system," said Mike Carney acting special agent in charge for HSI San Diego. "The fraud perpetuated by unscrupulous immigration consultants who exploit the system to enrich themselves hurts us all."

According to court documents, Garcia opened his consulting business, California Legal Services, in 2001 in Pico Rivera, hiring Alcocer to assist him. As part of a fraud scheme, they offered to get undocumented aliens legal immigration documents allowing them to live and work legally in the United States, for a fee.

Garcia and Alcocer did not disclose to their victims they submitted applications on their behalf with false information and fraudulent supporting documentation. The two prepared and filed various immigration applications based on fraudulent documents they created, including counterfeit marriage certificates, birth certificates and tax returns. In other cases, they provided counterfeit government letters to show the victims that their applications were filed and pending normal processing time.

Some of the victims received employment authorization documents from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services based on prima facie eligibility while their applications were being adjudicated by immigration officers. Meanwhile, Garcia and Alcocer continued to defraud the victims by demanding additional payments.

Tips for Health Care Practitioners to Identify Victims of Human Trafficking

Identifying and Interacting With Victims of Human Trafficking

As a health care practitioner, you may have treated victims of human trafficking without realizing their circumstances, and therefore, have lost a chance to help them escape a horrific situation. The following provides a brief overview of the trafficking problem, as well as tips for identifying and assisting trafficking victims:

• Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, widespread throughout the United States. While trafficking is largely a hidden social problem, many trafficking victims are in plain sight if you know what to look for. 
• Trafficking is not just forced prostitution. Victims of human trafficking may also be in forced labor situations as domestic servants (nannies or maids); sweatshop workers; janitors; restaurant workers; migrant farm workers; fishery workers; hotel or tourist industry workers; and as beggars. 
• As a frontline health provider, you can help victims of human trafficking since you may be the only outsider with the opportunity to speak with a victim. There are housing, health, immigration, food, income, employment and legal services available to victims, but first they must be found.

Victim Identification

• A victim of trafficking may look like many of the people you help every day. You can help trafficking victims get the assistance they need by looking beneath the surface for the following clues:
• Evidence of being controlled
• Evidence of an inability to move or leave job
• Bruises or other signs of battering
• Fear or depression
• Non-English speaking
• Recently brought to this country from Eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America, Canada, Africa or India
• Lack of passport, immigration or identification documentation
• Traffickers use various techniques to keep victims enslaved. Some Traffickers keep their victims under lock and key. However, the more frequent practice is to use less obvious techniques including:
• Debt bondage – financial obligations, honor-bound to satisfy debt
• Isolation from the public – limiting contact with outsiders and making sure that any contact is monitored or superficial in nature
• Isolation from family members and members of their ethnic and religious community
• Confiscation of passports, visas and/or identification documents
• Use or threat of violence toward victims and/or families of victims
• The threat of shaming victims by exposing circumstances to family
• Telling victims they will be imprisoned or deported for immigration violations if they contact authorities
• Control of the victims’ money, e.g., holding their money for “safe-keeping”

The result of such techniques is to instill fear in victims. The victims’ isolation is further exacerbated because many do not speak English and are from countries where law enforcement is corrupt and feared.

Victim Interaction

• Asking the right questions may help you determine if someone is a victim of human trafficking. It is important to talk to a potential victim in a safe and confidential environment. If the victim is accompanied by someone who seems controlling, you should try to separate the victim from that person. The accompanying person could be the trafficker or someone working for the trafficker. 
• Ideally, you should also enlist the help of a staff member who speaks the patient’s language and understands the patient’s culture. As an alternative, you can enlist interpreter services such as those provided by the ATT Language Line. If your patient is a child, it is important to enlist the help of a social services specialist who is skilled in interviewing minor trafficking or abuse victims. 
• Screen interpreters to ensure they do not know the victim or the traffickers and do not otherwise have a conflict of interest.

Victim Assistance

·         If you think you have come in contact with a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-800-373-7888. This hotline will help you determine if you have encountered victims of human trafficking, will identify local resources available in your community to help victims, and will help you coordinate with local social service organizations to help protect and serve victims so they can begin the process of restoring their lives.

• If you think you have encountered a victim of human trafficking, it is important for you to collaborate among key service providers, including the Department of Health and Human Services, law enforcement and others at the local, state and Federal levels, to help the victim get the protection and services they need. Calling the Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline will provide important guidance to you on enlisting these support services.
• Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), victims of human trafficking in the U.S. who are non-citizens may be eligible for a special visa and comprehensive benefits and services. Victims who are U.S. citizens are already eligible to receive many of these benefits.

Guilty Pleas for a Dozen Involved in Human Smuggling Operation

The leader of an alien smuggling organization and six others have pleaded guilty for their involvement in a conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens. These guilty pleas were announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas, and Robert Rutt, special agent in charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston.

A sealed indictment was returned Jan. 25 and later unsealed following the arrest of 12 persons involved in this conspiracy. With the March 5 guilty plea of John Castillo, 31, of Wharton, Texas, all 12 now stand convicted. On Feb. 22, the indictment was superseded and unsealed upon the arrest of an additional 19 defendants in association with this case.

Armando Olmedo-Trevino, 47, is considered to be the leader of this nearly decade-long conspiracy. He pleaded guilty Mar. 2 before Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack. As part of his guilty plea, Olmedo-Trevino admitted he engaged in a conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens in buildings and other places illegal aliens from Aug. 9, 2002 to Jan. 31, 2012. He also pleaded guilty to transporting illegal aliens. The following five others also entered guilty pleas on Mar. 2: Tracy Howard, 47, Christian Russo, 39, Oscar Garza-Perales, 28, Sandro Alvarez-Maldonado, 35, and Cristobal Ochoa, 48. Five others had previously entered guilty pleas and will be sentenced May 3: Maria Herrera, 34, Norma Leticia Silva-Garcia, 38, Petronilo Sanchez-Jimenez, 42, Donna Simkins, 45, and Ricky Garibaldi, 46.

According to court documents, Olmedo-Trevino and others engaged in a conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens from Aug. 9, 2002 until his arrest on Jan. 27. Following his arrest, the indictment was later superseded to add defendants and reflect the final alien smuggling attempt Jan. 31. Olmedo-Trevino began with the smuggling organization by transporting aliens. He was caught transporting aliens on at least two occasions. Thereafter, he became the leader of the conspiracy, running the operation from his home in Wharton, Texas. Throughout the conspiracy, Olmedo-Trevino worked with numerous people who recruited drivers to transport aliens for the organization, including Castillo, Simkins, Howard, Russo, Garibaldi and Garza-Perales. Olmedo-Trevino also worked with other co-conspirators, including Sanchez-Jimenez, to smuggle illegal aliens across the border and then harboring them in stash houses located in the Rio Grande Valley until they could be transported throughout the United States.

In most cases, no more than five illegal aliens were transported at a time. They were hidden underneath blankets or luggage, in between the seats of an SUV or minivan. However, in a few instances, illegal aliens were transported in other ways, such as in car trunks. In June 2011, Olmedo-Trevino and others modified a trailer with a false compartment intended to conceal up to 15 illegal aliens.

Over the course of the 10-year conspiracy, special agents seized about 400 illegal aliens being transported.

Olmedo-Trevino, Castillo and the others who pleaded guilty Mar. 2 are set for sentencing May 24. All those convicted to date face up to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The U.S. government is seeking forfeiture of about $83,000 and two residences seized as part of the overall investigation.

The indictment and arrests resulted from an on-going investigation by HSI in cooperation with the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad W. Cowan and Jeffrey D. Preston, Southern District of Texas, are prosecuting the case.

Victims of Human Trafficking: "T" Nonimmigrant Status Q&A

T Nonimmigrant Status (T Visa) is set aside for those who are or have been victims of human trafficking and are willing to assist law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of acts of trafficking. 

Background
In October 2000, Congress created the “T” nonimmigrant status by passing the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (VTVPA). The legislation strengthens the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute human trafficking, and also offer protection to victims.

Questions and Answers

Q.   What Is Human Trafficking?
A.   Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons, is a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers lure individuals with false promises of employment and a better life. Traffickers often take advantage of poor, unemployed individuals who lack access to social safety nets. The T nonimmigrant visa allows victims to remain in the United States to assist federal authorities in the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases.

To consider a situation ‘trafficking’ depends on the type of work, and the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain or maintain work.

Under Federal law, the term “severe forms of trafficking” can be broken into two categories:

• Sex trafficking:  recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act where the commercial sex act is induced by force, fraud, or coercion, or the person being induced to perform such act is under 18 years of age.
• Labor trafficking: 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 involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery.

Q.   Do Federal Laws Prohibit Trafficking In Persons?
A.   Yes. The Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution outlaws slavery and involuntary servitude (holding another in service through force or threats of force.) The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (VTVPA) supplements existing laws that apply to human trafficking, including those passed to enforce the Thirteenth Amendment. The VTVPA also establishes new tools and resources to combat trafficking in persons, and provides an array of services and protections for victims of severe forms of trafficking.

Q.   Is There Any Immigration Relief Available For a Victim of a Severe Form of Trafficking In Persons?
A.   Yes. Victims of severe forms of human trafficking are eligible for a T Nonimmigrant status (T visa). The T nonimmigrant visa allows victims to remain in the United States to assist in the investigation or prosecution of human traffickers. Once a T nonimmigrant visa is granted, a victim can apply for permanent residence after three years.

Q.   How Do You Become Eligible For T Nonimmigrant Status?
A.   To qualify for T nonimmigrant status you must:

• Be or have been a victim of severe trafficking in persons.
• Be physically present in the United States, American Samoa, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or at a port of entry on account of trafficking.
• Comply with any reasonable request from a law enforcement agency for assistance in the investigation or prosecution of human trafficking.
• Demonstrate that you would suffer extreme hardship involving severe and unusual harm if you were removed from the United States.

If under the age of 18 at the time of the victimization, or if you are unable to cooperate with a law enforcement request due to physical or psychological trauma, you may qualify for the T nonimmigrant visa without having to assist in investigation or prosecution.

You must also be admissible to the United States or obtain a waiver of admissibility.

Q.   What is the Application Process to Obtain a T Nonimmigrant Visa?
A.   If you are a victim of a severe form of trafficking, you must submit a Form I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status. The Form I-914 requests information regarding your eligibility for T nonimmigrant status, as well as admissibility to the United States. You must also include a statement in your own words about your victimization. You may submit a law enforcement agency endorsement using Form I-914, Supplement B, Declaration of Law Enforcement Officer for Victim of Trafficking in Persons. You also have the option to submit secondary evidence of compliance with reasonable requests for assistance. This evidence may include: trial transcripts, court documents; police reports, news articles and affidavits.

Q.   Are There Fees That I Must Pay To Apply?
A.   There is no fee to file a Form I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status. You may submit a Request for Fee Waiver, Form I-912 (or a written request), for all other forms associated with filing your Form I-914. For more information about fee waiver guidance, click here.

Q.   Can My Family Members Also Obtain T Nonimmigrant Status?
A.   Yes. Immediate family members are eligible for derivative nonimmigrant status.

If the principle is ...	Then...
Under 21 years of age	They may apply on behalf of spouse, children, parents and unmarried siblings under age 18.
21 years of age or older	They may apply on behalf of spouse and children

To apply for family members, you must submit a Form I-914 Supplement A, Application for Immediate Family Member of T-1 Recipient. Your family member’s application can be filed at the same time as you or at a later time.

Q.   Are There a Limited Number of T Nonimmigrant Visas Given Each Year?
A.   Yes.  Congress has limited the number of T nonimmigrant visas granted each year to 5,000. This does not apply for family derivative visas. Once the cap is reached, applicants will be placed on a waiting list. This waiting list allows those applicants who cannot be granted a visa due to the numerical limitation to obtain priority in the following year.

Q.   Can I Legally Work in the United States If I Have T Nonimmigrant Status?
A.   Yes. When USCIS grants T nonimmigrant status, an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is granted at the same time. The information for the EAD is generated from the Form I-914. There is no need to file a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, along with the application for a T nonimmigrant status.

Q.   How Long Am I Allowed to Remain in the United States With My T Nonimmigrant Visa?
A.   The T nonimmigrant visa is valid for four years and a visa holder may be eligible to apply for permanent residence (Green Card) after three years in a T nonimmigrant status.

Q.   How Can I Apply For Permanent Residence (Green Card)?
A.   You may apply for permanent residence by submitting Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. You must have been lawfully admitted to the United States as a T nonimmigrant and must continue to hold such status at the time of application.

To qualify for permanent residence, you must:

• Be physically present in the United States for a continuous period of at least three years in T nonimmigrant status, or a continuous period during the investigation or prosecution of the acts of trafficking, provided that the Attorney General has certified that the investigation or prosecution is complete, whichever time is less.
• Maintain good moral character during your stay in the United States.
• Have complied with any reasonable request for assistance in the investigation or prosecution of acts of trafficking demonstrate extreme hardship involving unusual and severe harm upon removal from the United States or have been under 18 years of age at the time of the trafficking victimization.
• Be admissible to the United States, or obtain a waiver of admissibility.

You may apply for a green card after you have held T nonimmigrant status for three years. If you file before meeting the three year status requirement your application will be denied, unless you have submitted a certification from the Attorney General that the investigation or prosecution is complete.

Q.   Is A Victim of Trafficking Eligible For Any Services And Benefits?
A.   Victims of trafficking may be eligible for a number of federally funded benefits and services regardless of immigration status if they have been certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Once a victim has been certified, they are eligible for the same services as a refugee. If the victim is under the age of 18, he or she is eligible for certain benefits without the requirement of certification.

Q.   Are There Any Other Forms of Immigration Relief Available to Victims of Trafficking?
A.   Yes. Another status granted to victims of human trafficking is U nonimmigrant status (U visa). To apply for a U visa, victims must file a Form I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status. U visas are awarded to people who have suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of specified criminal activity.

"U" Nonimmigrant Status for Victims of Criminal Activity

Background

Congress created the U nonimmigrant visa with the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (including the Battered Immigrant Women’s Protection Act) in October 2000. The legislation was intended to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking of aliens and other crimes, while also protecting victims of crimes who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse due to the crime and are willing to help law enforcement authorities in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity. The legislation also helps law enforcement agencies to better serve victims of crimes.  

U Nonimmigrant Eligibility

You may be eligible for a U nonimmigrant visa if:

• You are the victim of qualifying criminal activity.
• You have suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of criminal activity.
• You have information about the criminal activity. If you are under the age of 16 or unable to provide information due to a disability, a parent, guardian, or next friend may possess the information about the crime on your behalf.
• You were helpful, are helpful, or are likely to be helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime. If you are under the age of 16 or unable to provide information due to a disability, a parent, guardian, or next friend may assist law enforcement on your behalf.
• The crime occurred in the United States or violated U.S. laws
• You are admissible to the United States.  If you are not admissible, you may apply for a waiver on a Form I-192, Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Non-Immigrant.

Qualifying Criminal Activities

Abduction Abusive Sexual Content Blackmail Domestic Violence Extortion False Imprisonment Female Genital Mutilation Felonious Assault

Hostage Incest Involuntary Servitude Kidnapping Manslaughter Murder Obstruction of Justice Peonage Perjury Prostitution Rape

Sexual Assault Sexual Exploitation Slave Trade Torture Trafficking Witness Tampering Unlawful Criminal Restraint Other Related Crimes

Petitioning for U Nonimmigrant Status (U Visa)

To petition for a U nonimmigrant status, submit:

• Form I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status
• Form I-918, Supplement B, U Nonimmigrant Status Certification, on which a law enforcement official confirms that you were or will likely be helpful in the prosecution of the case
• A personal statement describing the criminal activity of which you were a victim

Filing for Qualifying Family Members

Certain qualifying family members are eligible for a derivative U visa. 

If you are...	Then...
Under 21 years of age	You may petition on behalf of your spouse, children, parents and unmarried siblings under age 18.
21 years of age or older	You may apply on behalf of your spouse and children.

To petition for a qualified family member, you must file a Form I-918, Supplement A, Petition for Immediate Family Member of U-1 Recipient, at the same time as your application or at a later time.

"T" Nonimmigrant Status for Victims of Human Trafficking

Background

In October 2000, Congress created the “T” nonimmigrant status by passing the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act (VTVPA). The legislation strengthens the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute human trafficking, and also offer protection to victims.

Human trafficking, also known as trafficking in persons, is a form of modern-day slavery in which traffickers lure individuals with false promises of employment and a better life. Traffickers often take advantage of poor, unemployed individuals who lack access to social services. The T Nonimmigrant Status (T visa) is a set aside for those who are or have been victims of human trafficking, protects victims of human trafficking and allows victims to remain in the United States to assist in an investigation or prosecution of human trafficking.

T Nonimmigrant Eligibility

You may be eligible for a T visa if you:

               Are or were a victim of trafficking, as defined by law

               Are in the United States, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, or at a port of entry due to trafficking·

               Comply with any reasonable request from a law enforcement agency for assistance in the investigation or prosecution of human trafficking (or you are under the age of 18, or you are unable to cooperate due to physical or psychological trauma)

               Demonstrate that you would suffer extreme hardship involving unusual and severe harm if you were removed from the United States

               Are admissible to the United States. If not admissible, you may apply for a waiver on a Form I-192, Application for Advance Permission to Enter as a Non-Immigrant.

Applying for T Nonimmigrant Status

To apply for a T visa, submit:

               Form I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status

               Three passport size photographs

               A personal statement explaining how you were a victim of trafficking (on the Form I-914)

               Evidence to show you the meet eligibility requirements

Note: You are strongly encouraged to submit Form I-914, Supplement B, Declaration of Law Enforcement Officer for Victim of Trafficking in Persons, to show law enforcement agency support. Form I-914, Supplement B serves as primary evidence that you are a victim of trafficking and that you have complied with reasonable requests from law enforcement.

Filing for Qualifying Family Members

Certain qualifying family members are eligible for a derivative T visa.

If you are....	Then...
Under 21 years of age	You may apply on behalf of your spouse, children, parents and unmarried siblings under age 18.
21 years of age or older	You may apply on behalf of your spouse and children.

To apply for a qualified family member, you must file a Form I-914, Supplement A, Application for Immediate Family Member of T-1 Recipient, at the same time as your application or at a later time.

Resources

USCIS offers resources for victims of human trafficking and other crimes and the organizations that serve them. This information is designed to help answer any questions you or your family might have about obtaining T or U Nonimmigrant status.

Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000

TRAFFICKING VICTIMS PROTECTION ACT OF 2000

In October 2000, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) (Public Law 106-386) was enacted. Prior to that, no comprehensive Federal law existed to protect victims of trafficking or to prosecute their traffickers.

Human trafficking is increasingly committed by organized, sophisticated criminal groups, and is the fastest growing source of profits for organized criminal enterprises worldwide. Profits from the trafficking industry contribute to the expansion of organized crime in the U.S. and worldwide.

TVPA Goals

• Prevent human trafficking overseas
• Protect victims and help them rebuild their lives in the U.S. with Federal and state support
• Prosecute traffickers of persons under stiff Federal penalties

Prevention, Protection and Prosecution
The law is comprehensive in addressing the various ways of combating trafficking, including prevention, protection and prosecution. The prevention measures include the authorization of educational and public awareness programs.

Protection and assistance for victims of trafficking under the law include making housing, educational, health care, job training and other Federally-funded social service programs available to assist victims in rebuilding their lives. The law also established the T visa, which allows victims of trafficking to become temporary residents of the U.S. The TVPA authorizes up to 5,000 victims of trafficking each year to receive permanent residence status after three years from issuance of their temporary residency visas. The T visa signifies a shift in the immigration law policy, which previously resulted in many victims being deported as illegal aliens. The law also makes victims of trafficking eligible for the Witness Protection Program.

The law makes victims of trafficking eligible for benefits and services under Federal or state programs once they become certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Adult trafficking victims must be certified as a pre-condition for their eligibility for benefits and services. Once certified, they will be eligible to apply for benefits and services under any Federal or state funded programs, to the same extent as refugees including refugee cash, medical assistance and social services. Victims under the age of 18 do not need to be certified. HHS issues these victims letters of eligibility so that providers know these victims are eligible for services and benefits.

Victims of human trafficking who are non-U.S. citizens are eligible to receive benefits and services through the TVPA to the same extent as refugees. Victims who are U.S. citizens do not need to be certified by HHS to receive benefits; as U.S. citizens, they are eligible for many benefits.

The TVPA also created new law enforcement tools to strengthen the prosecution and punishment of traffickers, making human trafficking a Federal crime with severe penalties.

For example, if a trafficking crime results in death or if the crime includes kidnapping, an attempted kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, attempted aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, the trafficker could be sentenced to life in prison. Traffickers who exploit children (under the age of 14) using force, fraud or coercion, for the purpose of sex trafficking (a commercial sex act) can be imprisoned for life. If the victim was a child between the age of 14 and 18 and the sex trafficking did not involve force, fraud or coercion, the trafficker could receive up to 20 years in prison.

Moreover, the law addresses the subtle means of coercion used by traffickers to bind their victims in to servitude, including: psychological coercion, trickery, and the seizure of documents, activities which were difficult to prosecute under preexisting involuntary servitude statutes and case law.

Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003
In 2003, the Bush Administration authorized more than $200 million to combat human trafficking through the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2003 (TVPRA). TVPRA renews the U.S. government's commitment to identify and assist victims exploited through labor and sex trafficking in the United States.

The TVPRA provides resources and initiatives to assist the 18,000 - 20,000 victims of human trafficking who are trafficked into the United States every year. It augments the legal tools which can be used against traffickers by empowering victims to bring Federal civil suits against traffickers for actual and punitive damages, and by including sex trafficking and forced labor as offenses under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization statute. It also encourages the nation's 21,000 state and local law enforcement agencies to participate in the detection and investigation of human trafficking cases. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has a significant role in implementing the law's victim-centered, compassionate approach to finding and aiding the victims of this modern-day slave trade.

If you think you have come in contact with a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1.888.3737.888. This hotline will help you determine if you have encountered victims of human trafficking, will identify local resources available in your community to help victims, and will help you coordinate with local social service organizations to help protect and serve victims so they can begin the process of restoring their lives.