White House Immigration Policy Priorities will harm the fight against human trafficking

Washington, D.C.—In response to the Trump Administration’s Immigration Policy Priorities, David Abramowitz, Managing Director at Humanity United, said:

“The Trump Administration’s immigration principles will undermine both the stated White House priority of fighting human trafficking and U.S. global leadership on this issue. Americans must ask themselves whether we are willing to become a nation that endangers trafficked and persecuted children and decreases refugee protection for families fleeing violence.

“Though these policies are problematic on multiple levels, from a human trafficking perspective they create a recipe for disaster. The focus on denying due process for children is particularly egregious. We need to ensure that all unaccompanied children are afforded basic legal protections. From initial screening to the final stages of release or removal, the U.S. has a responsibility to protect any child’s most fundamental rights not to be exploited or persecuted. Provisions to protect children who may have been trafficked into the U.S. and who are at risk of being trafficked within our borders are critical, and must not be weakened or eliminated. They do not grant amnesty but instead ensure the basic human rights of vulnerable children are protected.”