Public Policy

Polaris Stands Against the National Human Trafficking Hotline Enhancement Act (H.R. 2601)

November 29, 2023
Polaris stands against H.R. 2601, a bill that is dangerous to the safety and security of victims and survivors of human trafficking. We urge members of Congress to listen to survivors and vote NO.

Prioritizing Survivor Voices at the Federal Level: Criminal Records Relief

Blog Post — October 27, 2023
Without consistent and clear state laws and federal legislation, criminal records remain one of the biggest obstacles that survivors face in rebuilding their lives after exploitation.

Restoring Power to Our Guest Workers

Blog Post — October 27, 2023
Actions are needed to help mitigate H-2B workers’ vulnerabilities and empower them to secure their rights and pursue safe, justly compensated work in the U.S.

Prioritizing Survivor-Centered State Policies: Spotlight on Child Sex Trafficking

Blog Post — October 12, 2023
Sex trafficking is terrible at any age, but stories about child victims and survivors in particular tend to draw more attention.

Prioritizing Survivor-Centered State Policies: Improving Criminal Record Relief

Blog Post — October 5, 2023
Helping survivors with criminal records avoid further exploitation is an ongoing policy priority for Polaris and the anti-trafficking sector.

Prioritizing Survivor-Centered State Policies: The Fight for Fair Labor

Blog Post — September 22, 2023
From coast to coast, anti-trafficking advocates are joining with worker rights and prison reform partners to prevent labor trafficking. 

The Fight for Fair Work Needs Full Funding for the Department of Labor

Blog Post — April 11, 2023
Without enough inspectors, outreach staff, and other resources at the Department of Labor, we will continue to read about child labor in meat packing industries, back wages owed to workers, and other violations.

New Department of Homeland Security Guidelines Give Power Back to Immigrant Workers

Blog Post — March 14, 2023
The Department of Homeland Security has taken an important step to protect noncitizen workers from exploitative  employers who threaten them with retaliation related to their immigration status.

Victim-Centered Criminal Justice: Improvements to Federal Guidelines for Prosecutors

Blog Post — February 8, 2023
Testimony from victims of crime is often the key to successful prosecution, but it can come at a significant cost to the victims themselves, who have to relive some of their most painful experiences.

In Harm’s Way: How Systems Fail Human Trafficking Survivors

Published January 25, 2023
The National Survivor Study used the experience and expertise from survivors to create a detailed picture of the arc of trafficking.

Criminal Record Relief for Trafficking Survivors

Updated April 20, 2023
Polaris released a new report grading all 50 states and D.C. on their criminal record relief laws for human trafficking survivors. Since the first report in 2019, 17 states responded to the call for better statutes that are more inclusive and easier to access, while two states actually reversed their progress.

Credit Reporting Agencies are Failing Human Trafficking Survivors

Blog Post — September 29, 2022
Since the launch of the credit repair process for survivors of human trafficking, survivors have repeatedly reached out to Polaris to let us know that these new processes are not working as they are supposed to be.

Need help? Polaris operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline.