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Human Trafficking Victims Rights

Online Video Provides Acclimatization to Immigration Court Proceedings

Strategies for Immigrant Integration

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Human Trafficking Victims Rights

Regarding the rights for victims of human trafficking, the following principles should be followed in order to protect the victim:

1.- Principle of Non-Discrimination: States shall not discriminate against trafficked persons in substantive or procedural law, policy or practice.

2.- Safety and Fair Treatment: States shall recognize that trafficked persons are victims of serious human rights abuses, protect their rights notwithstanding any irregular immigration status, and protect them from reprisal and harm.

3.- Access to Justice: The police, prosecutors and court shall ensure that their efforts to punish traffickers are implemented within a system that respects and safeguards the rights of the victims to privacy, dignity and safety. An adequate prosecution of traffickers includes prosecution, where applicable, for rape, sexual and other forms of assault ( including, without limitation, murder, forced pregnancies and abortions), kidnapping, torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, slavery or slavery-like practices, forced or compulsory labor, debt bondage, or forced marriage.

4.- Access to Private Actions and Reparations: States must ensure that trafficked persons have a legal right to seek reparations from traffickers as well as assistance in bringing such actions, if necessary.

5.- Resident status: States shall provide trafficked persons with temporary residence visas (including the right to work) during the pendency of any criminal, civil or other legal actions and shall provide trafficked persons with the right to seek asylum and have the risk of retaliation considered in any deportation proceedings.

6.- Health and other services: States shall provide trafficked persons with adequate health and other social services during the period of temporary residency.

7.- Repatriation and Reintegration: States shall ensure that trafficked persons are able to return home safely, if they so wish, and when they are able to do so.

8.- State Cooperation: States must work cooperatively in order to ensure full implementation of these Standards.

It’s very important to build working relationships with Law enforcement in your area, meaning identify the Agents in charge of the Human Trafficking cases and make sure that the rights of the victims are respected and protected; a big issue with Human Trafficking cases it’s usually the lack of knowledge of some Law enforcement Agents to deal with trafficked victims and in many cases they just refer the victim to Immigration Authorities for their Deportation.

Online Video Provides Acclimatization to Immigration Court Proceedings

The Women’s Commisson for Refugee Women and Children has created a video, “What Happens When I Go To Immigration Court?” which is available online (www.womensrefugeecommission.org) in Spanish, English, Creole, French, and Fuzhounese.  It is an educational video produced to orient children who are placed in immigration proceedings and must appear in immigration court before the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). The video uses child-centered techniques to familiarize the child with these administrative legal proceedings. It also helps put the children at ease and begins to foster the trust and openness needed for representing the child during the immigration court proceeding.

The video also comes with a companion user’s guide, which is divided into two sections: 1) Developmental Considerations and 2) Strategies for
Using the DVD. This manual is for child advocates, attorneys and other professionals who are assisting children through proceedings in front of the immigration court. It will help you develop a comprehensive strategy for representation and inform you of issues to consider when working with children of different age levels and cultural backgrounds. It suggests a variety of techniques that will help put the child at ease and get the maximum benefit and understanding from the video. It recommends methods to cultivate the child’s cooperation and comfort in telling his or her story confidently and candidly.

To view the video in one of five languages, and to review the users guide click on this link. 

Strategies for Immigrant Integration

A recent report entitled “Investing in Our Communities: Strategies for Immigrant Integration” published by the association Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR), offers six strategic pathways through which immigrants and the receiving community can work together to provide resources and opportunities to leverage the human capital that immigrants bring: Communitywide planning; Language and education; Health, well-being, and economic mobility; Equal treatment and opportunity; Social and cultural interaction; and Civic participation and citizenship.

The report details how these pathways serve both as a tool for facilitating integration and as a means
to assess whether integration is taking place successfully. They interact dynamically, each with the power to reinforce or weaken progress in the other areas. For example, language and education are highly correlated with economic mobility but are also a determining factor in health care access, citizenship and civic participation, and interaction with native-born residents.

Built on extensive research and interviews with foundation, community, business, and government leaders, this multimedia toolkit intends to better inform the development of program, policy, and grantmaking strategies that promote immigrant integration. It also aims to help civil society understand the importance of supporting efforts that incorporate newcomers into the fabric of our society.

Download full report