Magnolia State News
Senators praise House for passing bill aiding human trafficking survivors
By Magnolia State News
U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Cindy Hyde-Smith issued a joint statement following the House of Representatives’ unanimous approval of the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act. The legislation aims to allow survivors of human trafficking to have nonviolent offenses, which they were compelled to commit while being trafficked, vacated and expunged from their records.
In their statement, the senators said: “We applaud the House’s passage of our Trafficking 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 originally introduced the bill with bipartisan support in 2016 and has reintroduced it in every Congress since then. The most recent version was introduced with Senator Hyde-Smith in July 2025.
The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act (S.2255/HR.4323) is designed not only to vacate or expunge nonviolent criminal convictions or arrest records incurred by survivors during their trafficking but also includes additional measures aimed at supporting those affected.