30 % of US-Bound Human Trafficking Tracked Via Belize
Organization for Responsible Tourism (ORT) reports 30 percent of human trafficking victims entering the US can be traced to Belize's human trafficking superhighway and urges the American government to negotiate with Belize significant improvement
Online, July 17, 2010 (Newswire.com) - The US and Belize governments have much to gain by working together to address the absence of fundamental standards and regulation at the Belize borders. In so doing, the US would significantly reduce the number of human trafficking victims entering American jurisdiction - a potential 5,500 annually.
Poor immigration practices, which enable border corruption, are at the heart of Belize's ultra efficient human trafficking superhighway. Belize is poised for descent to Tier 3 status, under the US's anti-trafficking in persons act, for its inaction on human trafficking and may face economic sanctions as a result.
Recently released United Nations information and US Justice Department data combine to show most of the 5,500 US-bound human trafficking victims are from Central America, via Belize. Available Justice Department statistics, reported last in 2003, provides an estimate of up to 17,500 foreign nationals trafficked into the US annually.
"We urge the Dean Barrow government can take this win: win opportunity and work with the US government to address the tide of human trafficking at Belize," said Trill. "For its part, the Barack Obama administration has an opportunity to work with Belize to reduce by one third the number of human trafficking victims entering the US. And, most important, both countries will seriously block traffickers from destroying the lives of thousands of human trafficking victims."
ORT recommends the US offer its advice and expertise to Belize to modernize, standardize and monitor border procedure. Neighboring countries like El Salvador and Nicaragua have benefited from American guidance, improving and strengthening their borders in a Central American context. With a view to averting worst-list human trafficking status for Belize, ORT further recommends the US government negotiate overhaul of borders in an effort to avert Tier 3 status for Belize.
As well, ORT recommends the US government, as a complement to offering immigration advice and expertise, allocate anti-trafficking in persons project funding to Belize for state-of-the art equipment and infrastructure. Currently, available project funding stands at $54 million.
ORT promotes traveling for a better world.