Although this article was published a year ago, it is a great success story and relative to the cause. You can also find it Here.
Former Child Sex Slave and Anti-Slavery Advocate,
Maria Suarez Finally Finds Freedom
LOS ANGELES, CA (November 10, 2009) - After decades of captivity and imprisonment by her trafficker, the state of California, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, human trafficking survivor Maria Suarez finally found freedom on August 11, 2009 when she was granted a long awaited US green card.
Two weeks after arriving in California from Mexico, 15-year old Maria was lured from her home by the promise of employment and sold for $200. Her captor enslaved Maria and repeatedly raped, battered, and tortured her for over five years.
In 1981 she was unjustly implicated in the homicide of her captor and spent 22 and a half years in prison before the California Board of Prison Terms reinvestigated her case and determined that Maria was the victim of extreme violence, abuse, and torture at the hands of her captor, and recommended her release. Though she was a legal resident before the crime took place, immigration laws amended in 1996 provide for the deportation of legal permanent residents convicted of certain crimes. As a consequence, Maria was released from prison only to be detained for deportation by the Department of Homeland Security.
Four lawyers, Jessica Dominguez, Charles Song, Brigit Alvarez and Andres Bustamante came together to fight for Maria's release. Then California Representative, Hilda Solis -- now Secretary of Labor -- rallied 31 other members of Congress to sign a letter to Tom Ridge and Undersecretary for Border and Transportation, Asa Hutchinson, urging them to help Maria stay in the US. She was released with a T-Visa for victims of Human Trafficking, which expired in 2007, and until now, she remained in danger of deportation.
Since her release from prison and immigration custody in 2004, Maria works as a counselor and educator for domestic violence victims and offenders. Her joyful presence and loving nature has made her a compelling and dynamic advocate of rights for survivors of trafficking and battered women.
Maria has served as a speaker at national conferences and legislative hearings including the XXVI Border Governors Conference – “Fight Against Human Trafficking” forum, where she was personally invited by moderator Maria Shriver the UC Berkeley Conference on Human Trafficking and the UCLA Speaker Series. She has appeared on countless television programs such as Dr. Phil and El Show de Cristina, and is featured in several trafficking documentaries, including an upcoming feature documentary about her life.
