“Everything From That Era Was Kind of a Blur”: Improving Humanitarian Immigration Systems’ Resilience in the Wake of the NTA Memo

Author: Soltani, Laura; Carlson, William & Suleiman, Johara

Abstract: This study sought to explore the impact of the 018 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services policy memorandum generally referred to as the “NTA Memo” on the humanitarian immigration system in the United States. Key informant interviews were conducted with “policy agents” including immigration attorneys and social service providers who worked with trafficking survivors pursuing T nonimmigrant status (T Visas) in the Upper Midwest. Results of thematic analysis suggest that the NTA Memo effectively wore down the humanitarian immigration system while it was in place, and now that it has been lifted, distrust among policy agents remains, imperiling gains of the anti-human trafficking movement in encouraging survivors to come forward to report their traffickers and seek protections. Writing denied applicant confidentiality protections into law to protect the information of survivors of trafficking and other crimes and strengthening humanitarian immigration system infrastructure would begin to mend the harm caused by the NTA Memo and its contemporary anti-immigrant policies. Strengthening protections for immigrant survivors of crime is in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development goal 16: promoting just, peaceful, and inclusive societies.

Keywords: human trafficking, labor trafficking, T visa, U visa, VAWA, U.S. immigration policy, systems resilience