Foreign national survivors of human trafficking experience a variety of barriers and needs related to their foreign national status. Serving this population often demands comprehensive responses that attend to immigration status, culture, language, nationality, and more. Added barriers arise surrounding awareness of labor trafficking, as it is widely lesser-known and more difficult to identify but makes up over 70% of trafficking cases among foreign nationals, according to current data. Particularly for undocumented individuals, meaning those without legal immigration status (i.e., a visa), steep barriers to stability and recovery arise from inability to obtain immigration relief, lawful employment, public benefits, and state identification. These barriers exacerbate vulnerabilities that put them at risk of trafficking. Certain immigration remedies are available to this group, including specialized pathways to status. However, immigration applications can take years for approval, meanwhile leaving these barriers to stability and recovery in place. Consequently, supporting foreign national survivors of human trafficking, especially those of whom are undocumented, requires a long-term, comprehensive, and community-based approach. This presentation will discuss these barriers, examine labor trafficking for this population, and showcase several available remedies, including pathways to immigration status. This session will also examine ways we make certain populations more vulnerable to human trafficking and practices for removing barriers to relief.
Rebecca Bundy is an attorney facilitating Advocating Opportunity’s Toledo Foreign National Survivor Project. Specializing in immigration and expungement, Rebecca represents diverse survivors of human trafficking. She previously defended victim, civil, and workers’ rights at ABLE, HTSJI, and Goodman, Hurwitz, and James. Rebecca studied law, social work, and criminal justice.
Rachel Gorman is a client advocate at Advocating Opportunity, primarily supporting foreign national survivors of trafficking. With a background in international and Middle Eastern studies from Indiana University, she is proficient in Modern Standard Arabic. Rachel is dedicated to expanding clients’ access to community services while providing trauma-informed, holistic advocacy.