BIA Recognition & Accreditation

• Board of Immigration Appeals
• Roster of Recognized Sites and Organizations in U.S.
• 8 C.F.R. 292 is the Federal Regulation outlining the government’s requirements for a non-profit organization to gain recognition to offer legal ministry to immigrants.
• DOJ Executive Office for Immigration Review is the office within the Department of Justice making the courts separate from the Department of Homeland Security.
• DOJ EOIR listing of Immigration Courts in Texas
• EOIR-31 is the form needed to apply for site recognition and individual accreditation
• Library of Congress has an Introduction to Immigration that provides a historic perspective on immigration.

Human Trafficking

• U.S. Department of Justice investigates cases of trafficking and prosecutes the traffickers. DOJ has also contributed to the construction of a network of trafficking victims, service providers via their grant programs, and facilitates the complaint process for persons wanting to report a case of trafficking.
• U.S. Department Health and Human Services is responsible for certifying victims of human trafficking once they are identified. This certification allows victims to receive federally funded benefits and services to the same extent as refugees.
• Rescue and Restore is a campaign of the Administration for Children and Families of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is designated as the agency responsible for helping victims of human trafficking become eligible to receive benefits and services so they may rebuild their lives safely in the U.S. As part of this effort, HHS has initiated the Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking campaign to help identify and assist victims of human trafficking in the United States. A critical component of the Rescue & Restore campaign is the creation of the Trafficking Information and Referral Hotline, 1-888-3737-888, which connects victims of trafficking to Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) who can help victims in their local area. The hotline helps intermediaries determine whether they have encountered a victim of human trafficking, helps connect victims to resources and coordinates with local social service organizations to protect and serve victims of trafficking.
• U.S. Department of Labor offers programs such as job-search, job-placement assistance and job-counseling services as well as educational and training services and referrals to supportive services such as transportation, childcare and housing, through its One-Stop Career Center System – which victims can access after HHS certification. The Wage and Hour Division also investigates complaints of labor law violation, and is an important partner in the detection of trafficking victims.
• U.S. Department of State is responsible for coordinating international anti-trafficking programs and efforts.

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security was created in June 2002 with the singular focus of realigning the former patchwork of government activities into a single department whose primary mission is to protect our homeland.
• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS – formerly INS) is responsible for the administration of immigration and naturalization adjudication functions and establishing immigration services policies and priorities. They also investigate cases of trafficking, and are an important partner in victim identification. USCIS awards the T visa and continued presence status, which makes a victims eligible for Health and Human Services certification.
• U. S. Customs and Border Protection is responsible for managing, controlling, and securing our Nation’s borders.
• U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is responsible for the enforcement of federal immigration laws, customs laws, and air security laws.
• U.S. Coast Guard protects the public, the environment, and U.S. economic interests—in the nation’s ports and waterways, along the coast, on international waters, or in any maritime region as required to support national security.