More crime, trafficking victims apply for visas

AMY TAXIN, Associated Press
Published 06:06 p.m., Thursday, September 15, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) β€” Immigration authorities say the number of crime and trafficking victims applying for special visas to stay in the country has increased, thanks to federal officials' outreach to local law enforcement.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials say more than 13,000 crime victims have applied for the visas so far this fiscal year, up at least 28 percent from a year earlier.

About 860 trafficking victims have applied, a 51 percent increase.

Agency official Lynn Boudreau said Thursday that many victims say they learned of the visas from local law enforcement.

Boudreau says officials have held training sessions for law enforcement in 30 cities this year.

Community advocates say sometimes law enforcement officials are still reluctant to provide paperwork required for victims to apply for crime visas.

http://www.chron.com/news/article/More- ... 173002.php