Human Trafficking & Immigration: Rights, Remedies, and Responses

Download the Presentation_Immigration

Across the board, there is often confusion around how to assist foreign-born survivors of human trafficking. This training will help demystify the barriers and clarify misunderstandings surrounding assisting both children and adults, specifically around immigration relief options. We will dissect example case scenarios agencies may have run into, and offer solutions to better equip our leaders and anyone in the community who might come in contact with immigrants, including social services providers, justice system representatives, child welfare professionals, the faith community, students and educators, and more.

Presenters: Vania Aguilar, M.S., Program Manager, FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights and Daniela Donoso, J.D., Equal Justice Works Fellow, Immigration Law, Legal Services of North Florida

Sponsors: STAC in affiliation with Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking and the International Rescue Committee. Contact: STAC at stac@surviveandthriveadvocacy.org or 850-597-2080

ABOUT OUR PRESENTERS:

Vania Aguilar, M.S., Program Manager

Ms. Aguilar is a program manager at CAHR, where she oversees the administrative work of the Center. She has been working with the Center since 2001. She conducts trainings on human trafficking for various groups in the community. In addition, she oversees the Center’s case management and service provision for human trafficking victims and victims of other crimes. She has developed curriculum for the Florida Department of Education and Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Education on human trafficking. She was granted BIA Accreditation in 2013 and is assisting clients with their VAWA, DACA, Adjustment of Status, asylum, SIJS, TPS, U and T visa application submissions.  She has assisted over 300 refugees adjust their status to lawful permanent residence and helps them apply for their citizenship. She has established direct connections with prosecutors, victim advocates and law enforcement officials throughout the state.  She works very closely with them to secure the necessary documentation to apply for immigration relief for clients who are victims of crimes and to apply for any other forms of relief under the Victim’s Compensation Program. She serves as a co-chair for the Big Bend Coalition Against Human Trafficking Survivor Support Committee.  On behalf of the coalition, she has written co-eds, has participated on radio show interviews to discuss how Florida is affected by human trafficking, conducted presentations and outreach initiatives.  In addition, she serves on the Social Justice Committee of the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, a non-profit that assists victims and survivors of human trafficking in the second judicial circuit. She received a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Multilingual/Multicultural Education from Florida State University. In addition to working for the CAHR, Ms. Aguilar taught for Adult and Community Education (ACE) in Tallahassee from 2005 to 2022 where she taught evening classes to English learners from around the world.   She was the lead teacher for the on-line English classes at ACE.  She conducted classes for adult students in which she incorporated information about services and remedies for victims of various crimes including human trafficking and prepared students for their citizenship process. Currently, she is pursuing a doctorate degree in Learning Design and Performance Technology.

Daniela Donoso
Daniela Donoso serves as an Equal Justice Works Fellow, sponsored by Greenberg Traurig, LLP and The Florida Bar Foundation, and hosted by Legal Services of North Florida. Donoso designed her fellowship to be a comprehensive immigration advocacy program in North Florida to serve immigrants who are low income and/or crime victims and establish immigration protocols, procedures, and resources for LSNF staff and community partners. Daniela, a past DACA recipient, knows what it is like to have your life shifted by fear and uncertainty because of the broken immigration system. Her personal and professional experience working with marginalized communities has instilled an altruistic spirit that makes her uniquely suited for this Fellowship. Donoso received her law degree from Florida State University College of Law and became a Florida barred attorney in April of 2021. Donoso received ger bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from Florida State University. She spent her undergraduate and graduate time working for the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, gaining mentors and experience in immigration and anti-trafficking advocacy. 

STAC needs your support to sustain these important webinars. Will you donate today? Each gift helps to bring this vital information to the many people who are empowering survivors and preventing human trafficking. The only way we can maintain these programs and this work is with YOUR help.

Suggested donation: $20