State Senator Martin A. Sandoval (D-Chicago) took steps to combat human trafficking Wednesday by voting to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of the Voices of Immigrant Communities Empowering Survivors (VOICES) Act. The bill would empower immigrant trafficking victims to come forward by protecting them from deportation if they help bring to justice the people behind these human trafficking rings. In 2000, the federal government began offering special immigration visas to victims of these types of crimes who cooperate with law enforcement. The goal is to encourage victims to work with police to bring their captors to justice.

Sandoval said the list of qualifying criminal activity applicable to the Voices Act includes abduction and kidnapping, blackmail, female genital mutilation, being held hostage, incest, involuntary servitude, murder, rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, slave trade, torture and trafficking. Two years ago, Gov. Bruce Rauner enacted a law giving state assistance to these victims while their federal immigration paperwork is processed. The Voices Act simply sets a deadline for law enforcement to wrap up that paperwork and submit it to federal immigration officials for consideration. The bill still allows authorities to determine in their report whether they believe the applicant qualifies for Voices Act protection or not. The Voices Act will become law if passed by the House at a later date.