Public Policy

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.

Polaris Letter of Support for the ENABLERS Act

Published September 22, 2022
Polaris sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging them to include the ENABLERS Act in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. This legislation closes a loophole that allows some businesses to skirt anti-money laundering responsibilities.

Understanding Trafficking Law in the Context of Texas and Florida’s Immigrant Relocation

Blog Post — September 20, 2022
National conversation has focused on trafficking within the context of governors sending migrants seeking asylum in this country to Martha’s Vineyard and Washington, D.C. for the purpose of making a political point. 

Polaris’s Statement on Recent Immigrant Relocation and Trafficking

September 16, 2022
“Human trafficking is a complex and dynamic crime,” said Catherine Chen, CEO of Polaris. “Without an investigation of exactly what happened before migrants were put on a plane and unwittingly used for political gain, it would be irresponsible to accuse anyone of trafficking. 

The Credit Repair Process for Survivors: What We Know So Far

Blog Post — August 16, 2022
Following the passage of the Debt Bondage Repair Act, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) was tasked with creating a process for consumer reporting agencies to allow survivors of trafficking to block adverse information from their credit. This is what we know so far.

Criminalizing Victims: Trafficking Survivors With Criminal Records Deserve Relief

Blog Post — August 15, 2022
Keyana Marshall was just 15 when she was manipulated into selling sex by a female trafficker she originally went to work for as a babysitter. Throughout her teen years she was passed from one trafficker to another. Finally, law enforcement stepped in. But for Keyana, that only made things worse. She wound up serving nearly … Continued

Credit Repair Process for Survivors of Human Trafficking

Updated August 11, 2022
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a U.S. government agency responsible for overseeing financial products and services for consumers, has published details of a new process for victims and survivors of trafficking to block adverse information from their credit reports that resulted from their trafficking experience. This fact sheet was created to provide survivors and advocates with additional information about this process.

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