UK's tougher immigration policy risks trapping victims in modern slavery

A suspected victim of modern slavery, who was initially denied state support after Britain introduced a tougher immigration policy, poses for a portrait following an interview with Reuters in London, Britain, September 19, 2024. REUTERS/Hannah McKay/ File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) - Thousands of victims of modern slavery are being denied support because of Britain's crackdown on illegal migration, according to more than a dozen sources, a decade after the approval of legislation that put the country at the forefront of the global fight against human trafficking.

Britain's Modern Slavery Act of 2015 forced large businesses to tackle slavery in their supply chains and strengthened existing protections for victims.