Border Awareness: Identifying Trafficking vs. Smuggling

1. Prepared by: Admissibility and Passenger Programs (APP) Office Of Field Operations

2. Regional Trafficking and Smuggling Best Practices Workshop Public Awareness Campaigns Admissibility and Passenger Programs Office Of Field Operations

3. Issues With Identifying Trafficking at the Ports of Entry At The Border • Difficult to make a determination between a smuggling and trafficking case • Trafficking often includes an element of smuggling • specifically, the illegal crossing of a border. • In many cases, if not most, the victim may believe they are being smuggled, but are really being trafficked • unaware of their fate. Admissibility and Passenger Programs Office Of Field Operations

4. Public Campaign Public awareness was addressed through publications such as news briefs, posters that were placed at all ports of entry, and information cards discreetly handed out to individuals suspected of being, or knowing someone that may be, victims of human trafficking Admissibility and Passenger Programs Office Of Field Operations

5. Officers were trained, through a series of musters, how to identify potential victims and what benefits are available to those victims. Officer Training Admissibility and Passenger Programs Office Of Field Operations

6. Recognizing Victims of Human Smuggling and Trafficking – Muster summary Muster One educated officers on the difference between smuggling and trafficking Human smuggling: the facilitation, transportation, attempted transportation or illegal entry of a person across an international border, in violation of one or more countries laws, either clandestinely or through deception, such as the use of fraudulent documents. Human smuggling is generally with the consent of the person(s) being smuggled, who often pay large sums of money. Once in the country of their final destination they will generally be left to their own devices. Admissibility and Passenger Programs Office Of Field Operations

7. Recognizing Victims of Human Smuggling and Trafficking – Muster summary Muster one – continued Trafficking specifically targets the trafficked person as an object of criminal exploitation. The purpose from the beginning of the trafficking enterprise is to profit from the exploitation of the victim. It follows that fraud, force or coercion all play a major role in trafficking. Admissibility and Passenger Programs Office Of Field Operations

8. Recognizing Victims of Human Smuggling and Trafficking – Muster summary Muster two educated officers in identifying indicators of trafficking victims • Working conditions • Bruises or other signs of physical abuse • Restriction of movement indicators • Behavior indicators of severe dependency • Non-English speaking • Lack of Identification or Immigration documents • Possession of false or fraudulent documentation • Insistence on providing information to officer Admissibility and Passenger Programs Office Of Field Operations

9. Recognizing Victims of Human Smuggling and Trafficking – Muster summary • The third muster focused on victim assistance • The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act • Continued Presence • T-Visa • U-Visa • Federal Benefits Admissibility and Passenger Programs Office Of Field Operations

10. ICE Video