The current U.S. administration asserts that its border policies are designed to protect women and children from traffickers. However, its actions tell a very different story. Over the course of the last two years, the administration has failed to protect trafficking victims, as reflected in a dramatic increase in denials of visas for them, resulting from a new and highly restrictive interpretation of requirements under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. A review of all published appeals of applications for visas for victims of trafficking since 2017 shows that the administration’s decision-making has been particularly dismissive of claims by women and children who have been trafficked over the southwestern border, and has effectively blamed them for their own victimization. Recently implemented policies also scare survivors from coming forward to report abuse and even push them into the hands of traffickers.

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