T-Visa
A T-Visa can be granted to victims of human trafficking and their immediate families if they agree to assist law enforcement in testifying against their perpetrators. It can apply to two main types of trafficking; sex trafficking and labor trafficking. To be eligible for a T-Visa, an individual must demonstrate that they will endure unusual or severe harm if deported from the U.S. This can be related to their age, physical or mental condition, the likelihood of future victimization, and fear of punishment or retribution by traffickers should they return to their home country.
A psychological evaluation will establish the mental health consequences of the physical, psychological, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse they endured while trafficked.
Case Example:
- Linh (pseudonym) was labor trafficked in the U.S. to pay off a family debt. Her traffickers told her that some of her earnings would go to the debt and the rest would be hers. They paid for fake papers to get her into the U.S. They promised her an apartment and vacation days. When she arrived in the U.S., the traffickers took her identification cards and passport. She was forced to sleep on the floor in the nail salon where she worked. She worked more than 18 hours daily. She was never paid and was not allowed to leave the establishment without an escort. A psychological evaluation helped Linh categorize the abuse she experienced and describe her psychological symptoms during the trafficking and after. It also helped identify the harm she would experience if she returned to her home country.
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