Criminal Justice (Human Trafficking) in United States

in committee · United States · Senate Jan 9, 2025

S 61: National Human Trafficking Database Act

S 61 establishes a national database to standardize human trafficking data collection across states. Covered state agencies (like law enforcement or public health departments) must collect anonymized data on prosecutions, hotline reports, survivor services, and anti-trafficking organizations, then report it annually to the Office for Victims of Crime. The database, published online by the Justice Department, will display county-level trafficking rates, organization details, and prosecution statistics while strictly protecting survivor confidentiality. The bill authorizes $50 million annually (2025-2028) for state grants and data management, requiring states to submit initial reports within one year of enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Law Enforcement

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 26, 2025

S 1829: STOP CSAM Act of 2025

The STOP CSAM Act of 2025 strengthens protections for child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation by expanding definitions of abuse to include psychological abuse and kidnapping, and by imposing new reporting requirements on internet service providers. The bill requires providers with over 1 million monthly users to report apparent child sexual abuse material to the CyberTipline within 60 days, with penalties for noncompliance including fines up to $1 million for large providers. It creates new civil remedies allowing victims to sue providers who host or promote child pornography, and establishes protections for "covered persons" (children under 18 who are victims or witnesses) by limiting public disclosure of their personal information. The bill also enhances law enforcement's ability to investigate online child exploitation while maintaining privacy safeguards for victims.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Courts Human Trafficking Victims' Rights Data Privacy Online Safety Social Media

in committee · United States · Senate Jan 9, 2025

S 48: SAVE Girls Act

This bill creates a new federal grant program to prevent child trafficking and support victims. It authorizes $50 million for grants to states, tribes, local governments, and nonprofits to focus on preventing the smuggling of girls and young women aged 12-24 across U.S. borders and providing services to those already trafficked or at risk. The program specifically targets child sex trafficking and severe trafficking in persons, requiring grant funds to address both prevention and victim support. The funds remain available until expended, with the Attorney General and Health and Human Services Secretary administering the program.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

in committee · United States · House Apr 8, 2025

HR 2735: Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act

HR 2735, the Strengthening Child Exploitation Enforcement Act, updates federal laws to better protect children from exploitation. It amends kidnapping statutes to include deception in abduction definitions and explicitly states that consent is not a defense for offenses involving victims under 16. The bill adds a new provision (2243(f)) making it illegal to intentionally touch a minor under 16 without clothing for sexual purposes in specific settings like prisons or federal facilities. These changes apply retroactively to conduct occurring before, on, or after the law’s enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

in committee · United States · House Jun 11, 2025

HR 3921: STOP CSAM Act of 2025

The STOP CSAM Act of 2025 would strengthen protections for child victims and witnesses in federal court by creating a new definition of "covered person" to include minors under 18 who are victims or witnesses of abuse, exploitation, or kidnapping. The bill requires internet service providers to report apparent child sexual exploitation to the CyberTipline within 60 days, with civil penalties of $50,000-$250,000 per violation and criminal fines up to $1 million for non-compliance. It also creates new civil remedies allowing victims to sue platforms that host or promote child sexual exploitation, with minimum $300,000 in damages. Additionally, large platforms would be required to submit annual reports to the Attorney General and FTC detailing their safety measures and child exploitation on their platforms.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Courts Human Trafficking Victims' Rights Online Safety Social Media

in committee · United States · House Aug 1, 2025

HR 4831: ENFORCE Act

HR 4831 (ENFORCE Act) strengthens federal enforcement against specific child exploitation crimes. It removes the statute of limitations for offenses involving obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse, adds these crimes to sex offender registration requirements, and mandates courts to handle related evidence in ways that protect victims (e.g., keeping depictions with the government or court). The bill also creates a presumption for pretrial detention and extended supervised release for violations of these specific provisions. These changes directly affect individuals convicted under sections 1466A, 2252A, and related child exploitation laws, as well as federal courts handling such cases.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Courts Drug Policy Human Trafficking

passed · United States · Senate Dec 11, 2025

S 2584: Enduring Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act

The Enduring Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act (S 2584) makes a $5,000 special assessment on non-indigent individuals or entities convicted of federal trafficking offenses permanent by removing a 2025 expiration date. Previously, this assessment was set to end on September 30, 2025, but the bill extends it indefinitely. The assessment applies in addition to existing fees under federal law and funds victim services. It directly affects federal trafficking convicts who are not indigent, ensuring ongoing support for victims without changing eligibility or offense scope.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 10, 2025

S 916: Stop Shackling and Detaining Pregnant Women Act

S 916 prohibits the detention of pregnant, lactating, or postpartum noncitizens in immigration custody, requiring their immediate release except in rare cases involving credible safety threats. It bans all physical restraints during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and postpartum recovery, with strict limits on exceptions. The bill mandates access to comprehensive reproductive healthcare, including prenatal care, labor services, and postpartum support, while requiring facilities to provide medical consent and maintain detailed reporting on detention practices. These provisions apply directly to noncitizens held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facilities.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Substance Abuse Women's Health Detention Enforcement Sanctuary Policies

in committee · United States · House Jun 3, 2025

HR 3683: FBI Animal Cruelty Taskforce Act of 2025

The FBI Animal Cruelty Taskforce Act of 2025 establishes a dedicated FBI unit to investigate federal animal cruelty crimes, specifically targeting dogfighting, cockfighting, and "crush videos." This taskforce will create training materials for local law enforcement to help them detect and investigate these offenses. It also requires the taskforce to coordinate with agencies like the Department of Agriculture and U.S. Customs, and to submit annual reports to Congress detailing filed charges, convictions, and unresolved investigations. The bill directly affects local police departments through new training resources and federal agencies through mandated coordination and reporting.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking Law Enforcement Policing

passed · United States · Senate Dec 9, 2025

S 2950: Scam Compound Accountability and Mobilization Act

The Scam Compound Accountability and Mobilization Act establishes a strategy to combat cyber-enabled fraud operations run by transnational criminal organizations from "scam compounds" that use human trafficking victims for forced criminality. The bill requires the State Department to create a global strategy within 180 days of enactment, identify enabling countries (those permitting scam operations) and impacted countries, and coordinate international efforts to prevent recruitment fraud and support trafficking survivors. It authorizes sanctions against foreign individuals or entities that support scam operations, including financial sanctions, visa restrictions, and asset seizures. The strategy will be implemented through an interagency task force that will monitor progress, update the strategy as needed, and report annually to Congress. The bill expires seven years after enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Sub-Topics Human Trafficking

All criminal justice bills