118th CONGRESS 1st Session |
To improve services for trafficking victims by establishing, in Homeland Security Investigations, the Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program and the Victim Assistance Program.
March 7, 2023
Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Lankford, and Mr. Cornyn) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
To improve services for trafficking victims by establishing, in Homeland Security Investigations, the Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program and the Victim Assistance Program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “IMPACTT Human Trafficking Act”.
SEC. 2. Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program.
(a) Establishment.—There is established, in Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program (referred to in this Act as the “IMPACTT Program”).
(b) Functions.—The IMPACTT Program shall—
(1) provide outreach and training to Homeland Security Investigations employees who have been exposed to various forms of trauma in working with victims of human trafficking, including—
(A) self-awareness training for the relevant employees on recognizing the signs of burnout, compassion fatigue, critical incident stress, traumatic stress, posttraumatic stress, secondary traumatic stress, and vicarious trauma;
(i) provides mechanisms for self-care and resilience and notification of resources that are available through U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, such as the Employee Assistance Program, the Peer Support Program, the Chaplain Program, and other relevant accredited programs that are available; and
(ii) provides examples of potential resources that are available outside of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which may include, faith-based and community-based resources; and
(C) provide additional training to first line supervisors of relevant employees on recognizing the signs referred to in subparagraph (A) and the appropriate responses to employees exhibiting such signs;
(2) include training modules that are carried out by—
(A) licensed and accredited clinicians who—
(i) have been trained on the exposure of various forms of trauma and other stressors experienced in working with victims; and
(ii) may have experience working with faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, counseling programs, or other social service programs; and
(B) additional subject matter experts who are available; and
(3) be overseen and coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security Center for Countering Human Trafficking to ensure that—
(A) appropriate program materials are distributed;
(B) training is offered to all relevant employees; and
(C) any needed travel and equipment is provided.
SEC. 3. Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program.
(a) In general.—Subtitle D of title IV of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 251 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
“SEC. 447. Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program.
“(a) Definitions.—In this section:
“(1) FORENSIC INTERVIEW SPECIALIST.—The term ‘forensic interview specialist’ is an interview professional who has specialized experience and training in conducting trauma-informed forensic interviews with victims of crime.
“(2) VICTIM.—The term ‘victim’ has the meaning given such term in section 503(e)(2) of the Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act of 1990 (34 U.S.C. 20141(e)(2)).
“(3) VICTIM ASSISTANCE SPECIALIST.—The term ‘victim assistance specialist’ is a victim assistance professional who—
“(A) has experience working with victims of crime in a service capacity;
“(B) has been trained on the exposure of various forms of trauma and other stressors experienced in working with victims; and
“(C) may have experience working with local government and community-based organizations, including victim advocacy centers, child advocacy centers, child welfare agencies, faith-based organizations, and other social service programs.
“(b) In general.—There is established, in Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Victim Assistance Program.
“(c) Functions.—The Victim Assistance Program shall—
“(1) provide oversight, guidance, training, travel, equipment, and coordination to Homeland Security Investigations victim assistance personnel throughout the United States;
“(A) 1 forensic interview specialist and 1 victim assistance specialist for each Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge office;
“(B) 1 victim assistance specialist for—
“(i) every Homeland Security Investigations office participating in a human trafficking task force; and
“(ii) every Homeland Security Investigations office participating in a child sexual exploitation task force;
“(3) support Homeland Security Investigations regional attaché offices, to the extent necessary;
“(4) provide training regarding victims’ rights, victim-related policies, roles of forensic interviewers and victim assistance specialists, and an approach that is—
“(A) victim-centered;
“(B) trauma-informed; and
“(C) linguistically appropriate, to the extent feasible; and
“(5) purchase emergency items that are needed to assist identified victims in Homeland Security Investigations criminal investigations, including food, clothing, hygiene products, transportation, and temporary shelter that is not otherwise provided by a nongovernmental organization.”.
(b) Technical and conforming amendments.—The Homeland Security Act of 2002 (Public Law 107–296) is amended—
(1) in section 1(b) (6 U.S.C. 101 note)—
(A) by striking the item relating to section 442 and inserting the following:
“Sec. 442. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”;
and
(B) by inserting after the item relating to section 446 the following:
“Sec. 447. Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program.”;
(A) by amending the section heading to read as follows: “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement”;
(B) by striking “bureau” each place such term appears (except in subsection (a)(1)) and inserting “agency”;
(C) by striking “the Bureau of Border Security” each place such term appears and inserting “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement”;
(i) in the subsection heading, by striking “of Bureau”;
(ii) in paragraph (3)(C), by striking “affecting the Bureau of” and inserting “affecting U.S.”; and
(iii) in paragraph (4), by striking “the Bureau.” and inserting “the agency.”; and
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking “Bureau of Border Security” and inserting “U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement”; and
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking “the Bureau of” before “Citizenship and Immigration Services” and inserting “U.S.”; and
(3) in section 443(2), by striking “such bureau” and inserting “such agency”.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit a report to Congress that identifies, with respect to the reporting period—
(1) the number of trainings that were provided through the IMPACTT Program and the number of personnel who received such training; and
(2) the number of human trafficking victims who were assisted by the Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program.