_{FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE}

_{July 29, 2024}

_CONTACT:

_{Dulce Guzán | dguzman@alianzaamericas.org (224) 480-7094}

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Alianza Americas, a network of organizations led by immigrants of Latin American and Caribbean origin in the United States, insists that the real fight against human trafficking begins with creating pathways for regular migration so that people do not fall victim to schemes in which they are forced, tricked or coerced into labor or services, including commercial sex. Human trafficking is a modern form of slavery, into which people desperate to migrate fall victim.

"Border closings, regulations that restrict access to asylum, protections for victims of torture, and work opportunities feed trafficking networks. The harder legal pathways to secure protection become, the more individuals fall victims of misinformation and abuses at the hand of trafficking criminal networks. Once individuals are trapped by these networks, they become victims of different forms of abuse, even death,” said Oscar Chacón, executive director of Alianza Americas.

 The T-visa for victims of human trafficking is a good practice in the United States, which has been emulated by many states as a form of protection in exchange for cooperation in criminal prosecution. However, there is a significant backlog in resolving visa petitions. Although the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can grant up to 5,000 visas a year, in fiscal year 2023, it received 8,598 applications and only resolved 2,181. "The lack of sufficient capacity for timely processing of applications leaves many trafficking victims waiting for very long periods of time, without the certainty of earning a living and the possibility of rebuilding their lives after a traumatic experience. The rule adopted in 2024 helps clarify some elements and should result in quicker decisions, but sufficient staffing is needed for a visa that is a form of protection," added Chacón.

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Alianza Americas is the premier transnational advocacy network of Latin American migrant-led organizations working in the United States, across the Americas, and globally to create an inclusive, equitable and sustainable way of life for communities across North, Central and South America.

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