Description:
S. 670 would establish the Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma (IMPACTT) program, which would provide outreach and training to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) employees who have been exposed to trauma while working with victims of human trafficking. The program would be overseen by the Center for Countering Human Trafficking within Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). S. 670 also would codify and expand ICE’s Victim Assistance Program, which provides guidance on victim assistance, training and technical assistance, and case consultation in HSI investigations. The bill would require the agency to hire additional forensic interview and victim assistance specialists. Forensic interview specialists support HSI investigators in questioning potential victims of abuse and victim assistance specialists assess victims’ needs and make referrals for support services. Finally, S. 670 would require the agency to submit an annual report to the Congress on the number of people served by both the IMPACTT and Victim Assistance Programs. CBO estimates that enacting S. 670 would cost $43 million over the 2024-2028 period. Such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. The costs of the legislation, detailed in Table 1, would fall within budget function 750 (administration of justice).
