Following on its prior work representing victims of labor trafficking from countries like Thailand and the Philippines, Advancing Justice - LA has expanded its advocacy on behalf of trafficking victims, including providing limited immigration services and assistance with civil claims. This programmatic expansion in anti-trafficking advocacy is being undertaken in recognition of the changing face of human trafficking locally and nationally, where psychological threats and crippling debt have replaced barbed wires and private guards as means of coercion.
Advancing Justice - LA’s programmatic expansion also responds to the ongoing need for culturally competent and linguistically appropriate legal services for survivors of trafficking, where three of the top five countries where victims hail from are in Asia (Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia). Taking a multi-pronged approach, Advancing Justice - LA has increased its community legal education efforts and expanded its T Visa application docket, along with exploring civil claims against traffickers.
