US immigration officials begin campaign against human trafficking

November 11 2009 by Liam Clifford

US immigration roll out anti-trafficking campaign across the country.

As reported in our blog last week, fourteen cities across the country are being targeted for a new US immigration campaign aimed at bringing attention to the subject of human trafficking.

The scheme named "Hidden in Plain Sight," is a joint initiative by immigration and Customs Enforcement, the main feature of which are billboards highlighting "the reality and prevalence of human trafficking" in society, this the agency says is equal to "modern-day slavery."

The phrase "Hidden in Plain Sight" is shown on the billboard advertisements with a number for people to call if they believe they know of people being sexually exploited and/or forced into working against their will.

The campaign is being aimed at the cities of Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Newark, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, St. Paul, Minnesota, San Antonio, San Francisco and Tampa.

According to Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) 800,000 men, women and children are the victims of trafficking each year and approximately 17,500 of them will end up in the US. Officials from US immigration say the victims will be tempted from their home countries with promises of well-paid jobs, they are then trafficked into the sex industry or forced labor.

Bruce Foucart, an ICE officer said, “Victims who co-operate with immigration are offered temporary US visa status and can then later apply to stay in the US permanently.”

See the latest Immigration News