From Survival to Stability: How the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act Will Help Survivors Rebuild

Surviving trafficking is only the beginning of a recovery path. For so many survivors, the moment they try to rebuild; apply for a job, rent an apartment, pursue an education, they’re stopped cold by criminal records tied directly to the abuse they endured.

That’s why the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act (TSRA) matters so deeply. And on December 2, 2025, it passed the House of Representatives.  For survivors, advocates, and organizations who have carried this fight forward, this is an important step forward to real relief and real hope.

What Is the TSRA?

The bipartisan TSRA creates a long-awaited federal pathway for survivors to clear criminal convictions that resulted from their trafficking. At its core, it affirms something survivors have been saying for decades:

You should not be punished for the crimes your trafficker forced you to commit.

How Criminal Convictions Hold Survivors Back

According to a national survivor study by Polaris, 90% of survivors with a criminal record said at least some—or all—of those charges were directly tied to their trafficking.

And the consequences are devastating:

• 69% said their record prevented them from finding work

• 59% struggled to secure safe housing

• 63% faced barriers to education and training

These numbers represent real people trying to start over, only to be met with closed doors. Trafficking already targets those who are vulnerable and the economic wounds don’t end when the trafficking does. Polaris found that 43% of survivors live under or near the poverty line, trapped by barriers created by their exploitation.

Why the TSRA Matters

With the House passage of the TSRA, Congress has taken a significant step toward a future in which federal law reflects a basic truth: survivors should not carry the weight of crimes committed under coercion and abuse. This isn’t just a policy change; it is justice, protection, and the chance to rebuild with dignity.

Justice, Protection, and Hope for Survivors

By advancing the TSRA out of the House, lawmakers have moved survivors closer to stability, safety, and opportunity they deserve. We urge the Senate to act next to ensure these protections become law and deliver long overdue justice to survivors. The advocacy continues as we press for full passage, but today, we honor the significance of this milestone.