Any person who has concerns that a foreign national child (non-US citizen or non-legal permanent resident under 18 years) in the United States may have experienced forced labor or commercial sex as a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons may submit a Request for Assistance (RFA) through Shepherd. In accordance with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000, as amended, federal, state, and local officials with information about foreign national children who may have experienced human trafficking must refer cases to OTIP for assessment within 24 hours. OTIP will accept case referrals even after the initial 24-hour period.
The Request for Assistance (RFA) is used to:
- Report trafficking concerns to OTIP within 24 hours of having credible information that a foreign national child may be a victim of trafficking.
- Connect potential victims of trafficking to benefits and services, including referrals to case management services, through a local provider within the Aspire: Child Trafficking Victim Assistance Demonstration Program.
Steps to Request Assistance
If you are working with a foreign national child in the United States and have concerns that they may have experienced forced labor or commercial sex at any point in their life and in any location, take the following steps:
- Submit an RFA through Shepherd. Access the RFA instructions (PDF) to learn more about how to submit a request on behalf of a foreign national child. To learn more about how to navigate Shepherd, access the Shepherd User Guide. (PDF) If you want to discuss the case with OTIP Child Protection Specialists before submitting the RFA, you can call 202-205-4582 or email during normal business hours (9am to 5pm ET).
- Submit any clarifying or new information by selecting New Information on your Requests list page in Shepherd.
- While the case is pending, check the status on your Requests list page in Shepherd.