A Bipartisan Win for Human Trafficking Survivors: House Passes by Voice Vote the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act
Click HERE to urge the Senate to quickly take up and pass H.R. 4323)
“The House of Representatives has shown that real work for real people can indeed get done on a bipartisan basis,” said Katie Boller Gosewisch, Executive Director of the Alliance to End Human Trafficking. “The Alliance and NAC applaud the voice vote passage of the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act and call on the Senate to quickly take up and pass this bill that vacates certain convictions for survivors of human trafficking forced to commit non-violent crimes. This bill gives survivors the ability to reclaim their lives and build a future.”
The National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd and the Alliance to End Human Trafficking continue our joint work at the federal level to end human trafficking, keeping the needs of those vulnerable to being trafficked and those who have survived at the forefront of our effort. Many trafficking survivors face arrest, conviction and incarceration, often without recognition of their extenuating circumstances. H.R. 4323 would provide critical relief for survivors who already have been convicted as a result of their trafficking victimization through vacatur, expungement and sentencing mitigation. Specifically, for a court to grant a motion to vacate a conviction or expunge an arrest, a defendant must show by a preponderance of evidence that the offense was committed as a direct result of having been a victim of trafficking. Additionally, the defendant must establish, by clear and convincing evidence, that the defendant was being trafficked at the time the offense was committed.
“NAC and the Alliance cheer the House passage of the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act that balances victims’ rights with public safety,” said Fran Eskin-Royer, Executive Director of the National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. “When survivors are prosecuted and jailed after being forced to commit non-violent offenses by their traffickers, their trauma is exacerbated, making it more difficult for them to rebuild their lives. This bipartisan, victim-centered approach helps them regain their lives and futures. Next up, the Senate. Let’s give survivors of human trafficking some relief as we close out 2025 and prepare to welcome in 2026.”
About AEHT and NAC:
AEHT and NAC are dedicated to eradicating human trafficking through advocacy, collaboration, and education. They work tirelessly to bring awareness to the issue and support legislative measures that protect and empower the most vulnerable in society.
Alliance to End Human Trafficking was founded in 2013 by a group of Catholic Sisters committed to ending human trafficking and supporting survivors. They created a national network of resources and support that includes many different congregations of women religious and mission-aligned partners. Today, this member-based organization has grown to include more than 115 congregations and another 100+ individuals and organizations spread throughout the United States. AEHT is also the U.S. member of Talitha Kum, the international network of consecrated life working to end human trafficking.
The National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd educates and advocates on social justice issues for the transformation of society to the benefit of all people reflecting the spirituality, history and mission of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. NAC advocates at the Federal level for people living in poverty, immigrants, survivors of human trafficking, survivors of domestic abuse, and other vulnerable populations. NAC reflects the spirituality, history and mission of the Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd (better known as the Sisters of the Good Shepherd). The sisters and their agencies work in solidarity with the disenfranchised – particularly families, women and children – who often are forgotten, left-behind or dismissed.
For a PDF of the Press Release, please click here.