Key Takeaways
- Over 100 organizations that support victims of human trafficking have lost funding since October, leaving thousands of survivors at risk.
- The US Department of Justice’s failure to spend nearly $90m appropriated by Congress is impeding law-enforcement investigations and exposing survivors to homelessness and the risk of deportation, jail time, or re-exploitation.
- Anti-trafficking advocates say the Trump administration’s actions are "extremely irresponsible" and "maybe even immoral".
- The funding cuts have far-reaching implications, including the loss of essential services, such as housing, legal advocacy, and counseling, for survivors of human trafficking.
- The Trump administration’s failure to release the funds fits a pattern of diverting "important resources from combating crimes" and using them for their "single-minded immigration enforcement agenda".
Introduction to the Crisis
The Guardian’s investigation has found that more than 100 organizations that support victims of human trafficking have lost funding since October, leaving thousands of survivors at risk. This is the latest in a series of investigative reports that have revealed the Trump administration’s rollbacks on efforts to combat human trafficking across the federal government. The US Department of Justice’s failure to spend nearly $90m appropriated by Congress is impeding law-enforcement investigations and exposing survivors to homelessness and the risk of deportation, jail time, or re-exploitation.
The Impact on Survivors
The funding cuts have had a devastating impact on survivors of human trafficking, who are now at risk of being re-exploited or facing homelessness. Organizations that provided essential services, such as housing, legal advocacy, and counseling, have been forced to reduce their services or shut down altogether. For example, the Life Link, an organization that provided support to survivors in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has seen its funding cut, leaving it unable to provide the same level of support to survivors. The organization’s human-trafficking outreach and aftercare director, Lynn Sanchez, said that she can now only provide support to 20-30 survivors, down from 40-50 previously.
The Response from the Justice Department
The Justice Department has responded to the criticism by saying that it is "focused on two critical priorities at the same time: support victims of human trafficking and prosecute criminals who exploit children, and ensure the efficient use of taxpayer dollars". However, anti-trafficking advocates say that the department’s actions are "extremely irresponsible" and "maybe even immoral". The department’s failure to release the funds has been criticized by lawmakers, including Senator Richard Durbin, who said that it fits a pattern of diverting "important resources from combating crimes" and using them for their "single-minded immigration enforcement agenda".
The Consequences of the Funding Cuts
The funding cuts have had far-reaching implications, including the loss of essential services for survivors of human trafficking. Organizations that provided these services are now being forced to turn away survivors, leaving them vulnerable to being re-exploited. The Reformed Church of Highland Park Affordable Housing Corporation, for example, has had to turn away dozens of survivors since its federal funding expired in September. The church’s co-pastor, Rev Seth Kaper-Dale, said that the funding cuts have set people up for a "really disastrous time" and that it is essential to provide "lavish support" to prevent people from being double- or triple-trafficked.
The Call for Action
The funding cuts have sparked a call for action from lawmakers and anti-trafficking advocates. Senator Ben Ray Luján has said that the Trump administration must be held accountable and that funding for essential services must be fully restored immediately. Senator Gary Peters has said that the administration is "illegally" withholding resources approved by lawmakers. The Guardian’s investigation has highlighted the need for urgent action to address the crisis facing survivors of human trafficking. The Trump administration’s failure to release the funds has put thousands of survivors at risk, and it is essential that the administration takes immediate action to restore funding and provide support to those who need it most.