Gillibrand, Hyde-Smith Statement On House Passage Of Their Legislation To Support Victims of Human Trafficking

Dec 1, 2025
Today, U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) released the following statement on the House’s unanimous passage of theTrafficking Survivors Relief Act, which would enable survivors of human trafficking to have nonviolent offenses that they were forced to commit vacated and expunged:
“We applaud the House’s passage of ourTrafficking Survivors Relief Act, which represents a monumental step forward in supporting victims of human trafficking. This bill would help stop a vicious cycle that leaves trafficking survivors vulnerable to further exploitation, protecting those who escape their horrible circumstances from subsequently having to face criminal prosecution, imprisonment, and related problems finding employment and housing. We urge our Senate colleagues to pass this bill and get it to the president’s desk without delay.”
Senator Gillibrand first introduced theTrafficking Survivors Relief Actwith a bipartisan group of colleagues in 2016. She has reintroduced the bill in every subsequent Congress, most recently with Senator Hyde-Smith in July 2025.
In addition to allowing survivors of human trafficking to have nonviolent criminal convictions or arrest records they incurred while being trafficked vacated and expunged, theTrafficking Survivors Relief Actwould also:
For a full list of endorsing organizations, please clickhere.
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