Wednesday, November 11, 2009

US immigration launches campaign against human trafficking



US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched an outdoor publicity campaign to raise awareness of the plight of human-trafficking victims in the United States.   The campaign, called "Hidden in Plain Sight,"  explains that human trafficking includes those who are sexually exploited or forced to work against their will.


Posters, billboards and transit shelter signs were rolled out last month bearing the slogan "Hidden in Plain Sight." They are displayed in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Newark, New Orleans, New York, St Paul, San Antonio, San Francisco and Tampa.

ICE states

It is estimated that 800,000 men, women and children are trafficked around the world each year. These victims are trafficked into the commercial sex trade, and into forced-labor situations. Many of these victims are lured from their homes with false promises of well-paying jobs; instead, they are forced or coerced into prostitution, domestic servitude, farm or factory labor, or other types of forced labor.

ICE is asking for the public's help to remain alert to recognize and identify victims of modern-day slavery who are in our midst. They are domestic servants, sweat-shop employees, sex workers and fruit pickers who were lured here by the promise of prosperity. Ultimately, they are forced to work without pay and are unable to leave their situation. ICE is committed to giving them the help they need to come forward and help us end human trafficking with vigorous enforcement and tough penalties. As a primary mission area, ICE has the overall goal of preventing human trafficking in the United States by prosecuting the traffickers, and rescuing and protecting the victims.


For more information, see here.

Photo courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/missy-and-the-universe/


Monday, November 9, 2009

New USCIS SAVE video released


US immigration has published a video explaining its Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.  The SAVE website explains that 
the SAVE Program is an inter-governmental initiative designed to aid benefit-granting agencies in determining an applicant’s immigration status, and thereby ensure that only entitled applicants receive federal, state, or local public benefits and licenses. The Program is an information service for benefit-issuing agencies, institutions, licensing bureaus, and other governmental entities.

The website continues by noting that 

  • The SAVE Program does not make determinations on any applicant's eligibility for a specific benefit or license.


  • The SAVE Program does not verify status for employment.

For more information on the SAVE program, see here.