§258 — Title 6 Domestic Security | U.S. Code

Summary

Creates a Victim Assistance Program inside Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to help people harmed by crimes and to support HSI staff who work with those victims. Forensic interview specialist — an interviewer trained to do trauma-informed forensic interviews with victims. Victim — has the meaning given in 34 U.S.C. 20141(e)(2). Victim assistance specialist — a professional who helps victims, is trained about trauma, and may work with local and community groups. The program must give oversight, guidance, training, travel, equipment, and coordination for HSI victim teams across the United States. It must hire at least 1 forensic interview specialist and 1 victim assistance specialist for each HSI Special Agent in Charge office, and at least 1 victim assistance specialist for each HSI office that joins a human trafficking task force or a child sexual exploitation task force. It must support HSI regional attaché offices as needed, provide training on victims’ rights and victim-centered, trauma-informed, and language-accessible approaches, and buy emergency items like food, clothing, hygiene supplies, transportation, and temporary shelter not provided by a nongovernmental organization.

Title 6, §258

Domestic Security — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In this section:

(1)The term “forensic interview specialist” is an interview professional who has specialized experience and training in conducting trauma-informed forensic interviews with victims of crime.

(2)The term “victim” has the meaning given such term in section 20141(e)(2) of title 34.

(3)The term “victim assistance specialist” is a victim assistance professional who—

(A)has experience working with victims of crime in a service capacity;

(B)has been trained on the exposure of various forms of trauma and other stressors experienced in working with victims; and

(C)may have experience working with local government and community-based organizations, including victim advocacy centers, child advocacy centers, child welfare agencies, faith-based organizations, and other social service programs.

(b)There is established, in Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Victim Assistance Program.

(c)The Victim Assistance Program shall—

(1)provide oversight, guidance, training, travel, equipment, and coordination to Homeland Security Investigations victim assistance personnel throughout the United States;

(2)recruit not fewer than—

(A)1 forensic interview specialist and 1 victim assistance specialist for each Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge office;

(B)1 victim assistance specialist for—

(i)every Homeland Security Investigations office participating in a human trafficking task force; and

(ii)every Homeland Security Investigations office participating in a child sexual exploitation task force;

(3)support Homeland Security Investigations regional attaché offices, to the extent necessary;

(4)provide training regarding victims’ rights, victim-related policies, roles of forensic interviewers and victim assistance specialists, and an approach that is—

(A)victim-centered;

(B)trauma-informed; and

(C)linguistically appropriate, to the extent feasible; and

(5)purchase emergency items that are needed to assist identified victims in Homeland Security Investigations criminal investigations, including food, clothing, hygiene products, transportation, and temporary shelter that is not otherwise provided by a nongovernmental organization.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Termination of SectionFor termination of section by section 6 of Pub. L. 118–96, see Termination Date note below.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Termination Date Section to cease to be effective Oct. 1, 2030, see section 6 of Pub. L. 118–96, set out as a Termination Date of 2024 Amendment note under section 252 of this title. Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program Pub. L. 118–96, § 2, Oct. 1, 2024, 138 Stat. 1569, provided that: “(a) Establishment.—There is established, in Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement

, the Investigators Maintain Purposeful Awareness to Combat Trafficking Trauma Program (referred to in this Act [see

Short Title

of 2024 Amendment note set out under section 101 of this title] as the ‘IMPACTT Program’). “(b) Functions.—The IMPACTT Program shall—“(1) provide outreach and training to Homeland Security Investigations employees who have been exposed to various forms of trauma in working with victims of human trafficking, including—“(A) self-awareness training for the relevant employees on recognizing the signs of burnout, compassion fatigue, critical incident stress, traumatic stress, posttraumatic stress, secondary traumatic stress, and vicarious trauma; “(B) training material that—“(i) provides mechanisms for self-care and resilience and notification of resources that are available through U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement

, such as the Employee Assistance Program, the Peer Support Program, the Chaplain Program, and other relevant accredited programs that are available; and “(ii) provides examples of potential resources that are available outside of U.S. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement

, which may include, faith-based and community-based resources; and “(C) provide [sic] additional training to first line supervisors of relevant employees on recognizing the signs referred to in subparagraph (A) and the appropriate responses to employees exhibiting such signs; “(2) include training modules that are carried out by—“(A) licensed and accredited clinicians who—“(i) have been trained on the exposure of various forms of trauma and other stressors experienced in working with victims; and “(ii) may have experience working with faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, counseling programs, or other social service programs; and “(B) additional subject matter experts who are available; and “(3) be overseen and coordinated by the Department of Homeland Security Center for Countering Human Trafficking to ensure that—“(A) appropriate program materials are distributed; “(B) training is offered to all relevant employees; and “(C) any needed travel and equipment is provided.”

§258 Homeland Security Investigations Victim Assistance Program

Summary

Title 6, §258

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Enforcement

Short Title

Enforcement

Enforcement

Citations & Metadata