President Obama proclaimed January as the National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. He requested private businesses, civil society groups, faith leaders, families, and the people living in the country to recognize the need to put an end to all forms of modern slavery.
Millions of women and children are being enslaved in the human trafficking industry and according to the reports, trafficking is one of the fastest growing businesses of organized crime. USCIS plays a major role in fighting against human trafficking and slavery. It aims at increasing awareness and providing immigration relief to the victims of crimes like human trafficking.
Several individuals and their family members fall victims to many types of crimes like rape, murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, etc., in the U.S. USCIS provides two types of immigration relief to the victims of such crimes. USCIS issues T non-immigrant visas and U non-immigrant visas to the victims of crimes and permits them to stay in the country. The agency also encourages the victims of crimes to report those crimes.
T Non-immigrant Visas
USCIS issues T non-immigrant visas to the victims of trafficking. These visas permit the beneficiaries to stay in the U.S. for four years. These victims need to assist the law enforcement authorities to investigate and prosecute human trafficking cases.
U Non-immigrant Visas
These visas are for those who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse due to a criminal activity. Holders of U non-immigrant visas can remain in the U.S. for four years and extensions will be made available in certain circumstances. They need to help the law enforcement authorities to investigate and prosecute the criminal activity.
USCIS has also made available a number of resources for the victims of crimes. Victims of crimes can report the criminal activity and obtain the immigration benefits that the USCIS provides. These T and U visas serve as law enforcement tools that help eliminate human trafficking. These visas protect the victims of crimes and their family members. These visas also provide the victims a pathway to permanent resident status (green card status) in the U.S.