US justice department halts funding for human-trafficking survivors
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Over 100 organizations supporting human trafficking survivors have lost funding since October due to the US Department of Justice's failure to allocate nearly $90 million appropriated by Congress, putting thousands of survivors at risk of homelessness, deportation, or re-exploitation.
- Anti-trafficking advocates and former DOJ officials criticize the Trump administration for delaying the release of funds, which impedes law enforcement investigations and reduces essential survivor services like housing and legal advocacy.
- Several organizations, including Life Link in New Mexico and the Reformed Church of Highland Park in New Jersey, have had to cut staff and reduce survivor support programs, forcing some survivors back into homeless shelters and vulnerable situations.
- US senators Richard Durbin, Ben Ray Luján, and Gary Peters expressed