Immigration

The United States is a nation of immigrants, but our immigration system is broken. Congresswoman Slaughter believes it is time to fix our immigration system in a way that shows compassion, requires responsibility, both from workers who are here illegally and those that hire them, and guarantees that everyone is playing by the same rules.

In addition to reforming our broken immigration system, Congresswoman Slaughter believes we must protect the most vulnerable among us in society, including immigrants. Anyone who seeks to enter the U.S. should be able to do so fairly and without being taken advantage of by human traffickers on the journey or abusive partners in their new home.

Priorities

• Protecting Families: Congresswoman Slaughter believes that immigration enforcement efforts should focus on removing dangerous criminals rather than breaking up families. Prioritizing the removal of those who pose a threat to our communities ensures that we use our limited resources as efficiently as possible.
• Fighting Human Trafficking: Congresswoman Slaughter is a powerful advocate in Congress for survivors of human trafficking. Even though we may not hear about these crimes on the nightly news, they occur daily in our communities and around the country. Congresswoman Slaughter was among the first in Congress to bring attention to the issue of human trafficking and remains focused on ending this horrible cycle, especially among children and agricultural workers.
• Defending Immigrants from Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence: Congresswoman Slaughter works to ensure all men and women are protected from domestic violence and sexual assault, regardless of their immigration status. Protections for immigrants were expanded in the 2013 Violence Against Women Act reauthorization.

Accomplishments

• Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA): Congresswoman Slaughter co-authored the Trafficking Victims Protection Act in 2000. It was the first comprehensive federal law to address human trafficking, and it focuses on prevention, protection, and prosecution. Under this law, she secured a $310,000 grant in 2104 for the Worker Justice Center of New York, which provides legal services for survivors of human trafficking in agriculture.
• Violence Against Women Act (VAWA): Congresswoman Slaughter co-authored the Violence Against Women Act in 1994. Since then, VAWA has been credited with causing a 67 percent drop in domestic violence incidents and permanently changing the national conversation on the issue. As an original author of VAWA, she included provisions that allowed immigrant spouses to apply for a visa on their own, instead of depending on a resident spouse who was often the abuser to make the application. In 2013, Congresswoman Slaughter was essential in expanding VAWA to fully protect immigrants, LGBT individuals, and Native Americans. VAWA has helped millions of men and women find safety, security, and self-sufficiency across the country and in Rochester.
• Immigration Assistance: Congresswoman Slaughter has helped countless families in the Rochester area as they navigate our country’s complicated immigration system. If you need help with any immigration issues, please consult the Immigration, Passport, and Visa Assistance page here.