Approximately one quarter of the immigrant defendants Sanctuary for Families screens in Human Trafficking Intervention Court self-identify as experiencing a severe form of trafficking (with at least a similar amount presenting indicia of a severe form of trafficking without self-identifying), and approximately half share a history of domestic violence that may make them eligible for other forms of immigration relief.  However, locating attorneys to represent Mandarin-speaking clients has been a challenge. Consequently, organizations like Sanctuary for Families have a lengthy wait list of women who wish to seek T nonimmigrant status, but can’t do so, and are consequently at risk of being re-trafficked.

Please join the AABANY Immigration Committee, the AABANY GSPI Committee, and Sanctuary for Families for a panel with Judge Pamela Chen of the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York and Judge Toko Serita of the New York City Criminal Court of Queens County to discuss these challenges and what we, the Asian American legal community, can do to contribute to a solution. This panel will focus on anti-trafficking initiatives for the East Asian community in the US and New York, and immigration legal remedies for trafficking victims.

AABANY is certified by the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board as an Accredited Provider. This program has been approved in accordance with the requirements of the CLE Board for a maximum of 1.5 credit hours, in which 0.5 credit hour(s) will be applied toward the Diversity and Inclusion requirement and 1 credit hour will be applied toward the Areas of Professional Practice requirement.