Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000
Last updated
United States federal criminal legislation
Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000
Other short titles
William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act
Long title
An Act to combat trafficking in persons, especially into the sex trade, slavery, and involuntary servitude, to reauthorize certain Federal programs to prevent violence against women, and for other purposes.
Introduced in the House as H.R.3244 by Chris Smith (R–NJ) on November 8, 1999
Passed the House on May 9, 2000(Voice Vote)
Passed the Senate on July 27, 2000(Unanimous consent)
Signed into law by President Bill Clinton on October 28, 2000
Major amendments
Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022
The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) is a federal statute passed in 2000 by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Clinton. The law was later reauthorized by Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump. In addition to its applicability to US citizens, it authorizes protections for undocumented immigrants who are victims of severe forms of trafficking and violence.[1]
In January 2023, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 (TVPRA), was enacted as Pub. L. 117-348 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.).[2]
History
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act was renewed in 2003, 2006, and 2008 (when it was renamed the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008). The law lapsed in 2011. In 2013, the entirety of the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act was attached as an amendment to the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and passed.[3] There are two stipulations an applicant has to meet in order to receive the benefits of the T-Visa. First, a victim of trafficking must prove/admit to being a victim of a severe form of trafficking, and second, must be a part of the prosecution of his or her trafficker. This law does not apply to immigrants seeking admission to the United States for other immigration purposes.
Pub. L.115–93 (text)(PDF) reauthorized the TVPA in 2018, as part of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2017.[4]
Since the law requires the applicant to become part of the prosecution of his or her trafficker, trafficked persons may be fearful of retaliation upon the self or the family and thus serves as a major deterrent to individuals even considering application. The law contains provisions for the protection of those who are categorized as victims of human trafficking, primarily for sex, smuggling, and forced labor forms of exploitation.
The TVPA allowed for the establishment of the Department of State's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, which coordinates with foreign governments to protect trafficking victims, prevent trafficking, and prosecute traffickers.[5]
Human Trafficking Prevention Act - this bill required regular training and briefings for some federal government personnel to raise awareness of human trafficking and help employees spot cases of it.[9][10]
TVPRA has been used to establish civil liability for U.S. corporations that benefit from forced labor in their supply chains.[14]
Ratha v. Phatthana Seafood Co. (2022). In 2016, Cambodian seafood workers sued a U.S. importer for benefiting from forced labor on Thai fishing vessels, alleging the importer knowingly purchased slave-caught fish, but the goods were never imported to the U.S. In 2022, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the lower court's dismissal, ruling that civil liability requires actual benefit from completed trafficking acts, not attempts.[15] The U.S. Congress amended the TVPRA through the Abolish Trafficking Reauthorization Act (ATRA), and expanded liability to include those who "attempt or conspire to benefit" from the violations.[16] In March 2025, the Ninth Circuit issued an order for the case to be reheard en banc.[17]
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