The_AT0 Biden_NP0 administration_NN1 on_PRP Thursday_NP0 designated_VVD 17_CRD countries_NN2 as_PRP not_XX0 doing_VDG enough_AV0 to_TO0 combat_VVI human_AJ0 trafficking_NN1 and_CJC warned_VVD them_PNP of_PRF potential_AJ0 U.S._NP0 sanctions_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 administration_NN1 also_AV0 called_VVN out_AVP several_DT0 U.S._NP0 allies_NN2 and_CJC friends_NN2 ,_PUN including_PRP Israel_NP0 ,_PUN New_NP0 Zealand_NP0 ,_PUN Norway_NP0 ,_PUN Portugal_NP0 and_CJC Turkey_NP0 ,_PUN for_PRP backsliding_VVG in_PRP their_DPS efforts_NN2 ._SENT The_AT0 designations_NN2 came_VVD in_PRP the_AT0 State_NN1 Department_NN1 's_POS annual_AJ0 "_PUQ Trafficking_NN1 in_PRP Persons_NN2 "_PUQ report_NN1 ,_PUN which_DTQ cited_VVD the_AT0 coronavirus_NN1 pandemic_AJ0 as_PRP a_AT0 cause_NN1 for_PRP a_AT0 surge_NN1 in_PRP human_AJ0 slavery_NN1 between_PRP 2020_CRD and_CJC 2021._CRD The_AT0 report_NN1 covering_VVG 188_CRD nations_NN2 and_CJC territories_NN2 said_VVD the_AT0 outbreak_NN1 had_VHD put_VVN millions_CRD more_DT0 people_NN0 at_PRP risk_NN1 for_PRP exploitation_NN1 and_CJC distracted_VVD some_DT0 governments_NN2 from_PRP efforts_NN2 to_TO0 stem_VVI human_AJ0 trafficking_NN1 ._SENT The_AT0 report_NN1 classified_VVN the_AT0 17_CRD mostly_AV0 authoritarian_AJ0 nations_NN2 as_CJS "_PUQ Tier_NN1 3_CRD "_PUQ for_PRP failing_VVG to_TO0 meet_VVI minimal_AJ0 standards_NN2 to_TO0 stop_VVI what_DTQ Secretary_NN1 of_PRF State_NN1 Antony_NP0 Blinken_NP0 called_VVD an_AT0 "_PUQ inhumane_AJ0 cycle_NN1 of_PRF discrimination_NN1 and_CJC injustices_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ The_AT0 designation_NN1 means_VVZ that_CJT without_PRP a_AT0 presidential_AJ0 waiver_NN1 those_DT0 countries_NN2 could_VM0 lose_VVI some_DT0 U.S._NP0 assistance_NN1 ,_PUN although_CJS decisions_NN2 on_PRP such_DT0 penalties_NN2 will_VM0 not_XX0 be_VBI made_VVN until_PRP later_AV0 this_DT0 year_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ It_PNP 's_VBZ a_AT0 global_AJ0 crisis_NN1 ,_PUN it_PNP 's_VBZ an_AT0 enormous_AJ0 source_NN1 of_PRF human_AJ0 suffering_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ Blinken_NP0 said_VVD ,_PUN citing_VVG estimates_NN2 that_CJT almost_AV0 25_CRD million_CRD people_NN0 ,_PUN many_DT0 of_PRF them_PNP women_NN2 and_CJC children_NN2 ,_PUN are_VBB victims_NN2 ._SENT "_PUQ This_DT0 crime_NN1 is_VBZ an_AT0 affront_NN1 to_PRP human_AJ0 rights_NN2 ._SENT It_PNP 's_VBZ an_AT0 affront_NN1 to_PRP human_AJ0 dignity_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ Newcomers_NN2 to_PRP the_AT0 Tier_NN1 3_CRD category_NN1 are_VBB Malaysia_NP0 and_CJC Guinea-Bissau_NP0 ,_PUN both_DT0 of_PRF which_DTQ had_VHD been_VBN on_PRP a_AT0 watchlist_NN1 for_PRP a_AT0 downgrade_NN1 for_PRP three_CRD years_NN2 and_CJC were_VBD ineligible_AJ0 to_TO0 avoid_VVI the_AT0 designation_NN1 because_CJS they_PNP had_VHD failed_VVN to_TO0 take_VVI steps_NN2 to_TO0 improve_VVI their_DPS anti-human_AJ0 trafficking_NN1 efforts_NN2 ._SENT They_PNP join_VVB Afghanistan_NP0 ,_PUN Algeria_NP0 ,_PUN Burma_NP0 ,_PUN China_NP0 ,_PUN Comoros_NP0 ,_PUN Cuba_NP0 ,_PUN Eritrea_NP0 ,_PUN Iran_NP0 ,_PUN Nicaragua_NP0 ,_PUN North_NP0 Korea_NP0 ,_PUN Russia_NP0 ,_PUN South_NP0 Sudan_NP0 ,_PUN Syria_NP0 ,_PUN Turkmenistan_NP0 and_CJC Venezuela_NP0 in_PRP the_AT0 worst_AJS offender_NN1 category_NN1 ._SENT Most_DT0 of_PRF those_DT0 countries_NN2 are_VBB already_AV0 subject_AJ0 to_PRP U.S._NP0 sanctions_NN2 for_PRP other_AJ0 reasons_NN2 ._SENT Meanwhile_AV0 ,_PUN six_CRD valued_AJ0 U.S._NP0 partners_NN2 and_CJC friends_NN2 —_PUN Cyprus_NP0 ,_PUN Israel_NP0 ,_PUN New_NP0 Zealand_NP0 ,_PUN Norway_NP0 ,_PUN Portugal_NP0 and_CJC Switzerland_NP0 —_PUN were_VBD downgraded_VVN from_PRP the_AT0 top_AJ0 Tier_NN1 1_CRD category_NN1 to_PRP Tier_NN1 2._CRD That_DT0 means_NN0 they_PNP do_VDB n't_XX0 meet_VVI international_AJ0 standards_NN2 for_PRP fighting_VVG trafficking_NN1 but_CJC are_VBB making_VVG significant_AJ0 efforts_NN2 to_TO0 do_VDI so_AV0 ._SENT No_AT0 penalties_NN2 are_VBB attached_VVN to_PRP a_AT0 Tier_NN1 2_CRD designation_NN1 ._SENT Israel_NP0 was_VBD cited_VVN for_PRP backsliding_NN1 on_PRP "_PUQ serious_AJ0 and_CJC sustained_AJ0 "_PUQ initiatives_NN2 to_TO0 combat_VVI trafficking_NN1 ,_PUN including_PRP a_AT0 decrease_NN1 in_PRP investigations_NN2 and_CJC prosecutions_NN2 of_PRF perpetrators_NN2 ,_PUN and_CJC severe_AJ0 understaffing_NN1 at_PRP its_DPS only_AJ0 authority_NN1 directly_AV0 charged_VVN with_PRP dealing_VVG with_PRP the_AT0 matter_NN1 ._SENT 
