What is the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act?
Survivors of human trafficking are often criminalized for situations stemming from their trafficking experiences. Having a criminal record – even an arrest record without a conviction – can make it harder or virtually impossible for survivors to secure jobs, rent apartments, or even coach their children’s sports teams. If enacted, the TSRA would provide the first-ever pathway for criminalized survivors of human trafficking to clear their federal criminal records. Passing this bill would make a historic step forward in protecting victims and survivors of trafficking at the federal level.
The TSRA was reintroduced during the 119th Congress. It passed through the House of Representatives in December 2025 and is currently pending approval in the Senate.
90 percent of survivors with a criminal record reported at least some or all was related to their trafficking experience.
– Polaris National Survivor Study
Why Criminal Record Relief Matters
As part of the National Survivor Study, a research partnership with survivors, Polaris conducted online and phone surveys with 457 sex and labor trafficking survivors. The study found that for a majority of survivors, their criminal record created barriers to gainful employment, finding safe housing, continuing their education, and child custody.
Survivor Stories
Survivors of human trafficking are calling for Congress to pass the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act. Learn why they support this bill:
Find more videos HERE from survivors who share the challenges they face in clearing their unjust criminal records and how those records make it hard to move forward, heal, and rebuild their lives.
Read their Stories
Learn more about why survivors of human trafficking need federal criminal record relief legislation and why they’re calling on Congress to pass the TSRA:
TSRA Toolkit
Learn how policies are created, the latest on state and federal criminal records relief, data points about criminal records, and how you can engage with your elected officials to make a difference.
How to Help
We’re so close to gaining, for the first time, a federal law that will give survivors of human trafficking a pathway to clear their criminal records. Here are 3 ways you can advocate to support this bill.
Send a Letter to Congress
If you’re interested in contacting your Members of Congress, you can send them an email asking them to support this bill. Identify your Representatives and Senators and then use our email template to send them a message.
Get on the Phone
You can voice your support for the TSRA by calling your Congress members on the phone and asking them to support this bill.
Schedule a Meeting
You can make an appointment with your Congress members. Call or email them to schedule an appointment in your home state.