Human Traffickers, Human Trafficking, Illinois 2020

Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety, and the U.S. Attorney for Southern Illinois is taking steps to combat this insidious crime. Steven D. Weinhoeft announced that more than $65 million in federal grants are available to help communities in Illinois fight human trafficking and support victims of this heinous crime.

According to U.S. Attorney Weinhoeft, 'Our nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking.' He emphasized that the federal government is committed to supporting communities in their efforts to combat human trafficking.

The funding is available through the Office of Justice Programs, the federal government's leading source of public safety funding and crime victim assistance in state, local, and tribal jurisdictions. The programs supported by OJP include initiatives to combat human trafficking task forces and services for human trafficking survivors.

A number of funding opportunities are currently open, with several more opening in the near future. The available grants include:

• The Missing and Exploited Children Training and Technical Assistance Program, with $1.8 million available and a deadline of April 6, 2020.
• The Multidisciplinary Task Force Program to Combat Human Trafficking, with $22 million available and opening week of March 16, 2020.
• The Preventing Trafficking of Girls program, with $1.7 million available and opening week of March 16, 2020.
• The Research and Evaluation on Trafficking in Persons program, with $2.5 million available and a deadline of April 20, 2020.
• The Services for Victims of Human Trafficking program, with $16.5 million available and opening week of March 16, 2020.
• The Specialized Training and Technical Assistance on Housing for Victims of Human Trafficking program, with $2 million available and opening week of March 16, 2020.
• The Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Program, with $5 million available and opening week of March 16, 2020.
• The Improving Outcomes for Child and Youth Victims of Human Trafficking program, with $6 million available and opening week of March 16, 2020.
• The Integrated Services for Minor Victims of Labor Trafficking program, with $8 million available and opening week of March 16, 2020.

For more information regarding all OJP funding opportunities, visit https://www.ojp.gov/funding/explore/current-funding-opportunities

Steven D. Weinhoeft, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, stated that the nation is facing difficult challenges, none more pressing than the scourge of human trafficking. Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety, and the federal government is committed to supporting communities in their efforts to combat human trafficking.

According to Katharine T. Sullivan, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, 'The Department of Justice is front and center in the fight against this insidious crime. OJP is making historic amounts of grant funding available to ensure that our communities have access to innovative and diverse solutions.'

Human traffickers pose a dire threat to public safety, and the U.S. Attorney for Southern Illinois is taking steps to combat this insidious crime. The available grants will help communities in Illinois fight human trafficking and support victims of this heinous crime.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdil/pr/us-attorney-southern-illinois-announces-more-65million-available-fight-human