Russell Fry (R-SC)
Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2025
A Republican bill with 8 Democratic cosponsors · See all 17 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2025 aims to provide legal relief for victims of human trafficking. It allows certain individuals to move the court to vacate convictions for level A offenses or expunge arrests for level A and level C offenses if the conduct was a direct result of being a victim of trafficking. The bill also allows courts to reduce prison terms for covered prisoners under specific conditions. It establishes a "human trafficking defense" that creates a rebuttable presumption of duress during prosecutions. Additionally, the act requires various reports to track the impact of these changes and the training of federal attorneys.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +7
Does this shorten or soften prison sentences?
The bill allows for the vacating of convictions, expungement of arrest records, and reduction of prison terms for victims of trafficking.
- Scored +6
Would immigrants be better off under this?
The bill provides a legal pathway to clear criminal records for those who were victims of trafficking, which often involves immigrant populations.
- Scored +4
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The removal of filing fees and the potential for record expungement helps low-income survivors avoid long-term legal barriers.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The bill requires several legal proceedings and records to be filed under seal, which limits public access to court documents.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Vacating Convictions: Individuals convicted of level A offenses may have their judgments vacated and records expunged if the offense was a direct result of being a victim of trafficking (Section 2(b)(1)(A)).
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Expunging Arrest Records: People arrested for level A or level C offenses may have their arrest records expunged if the conduct was directly related to being a victim of trafficking (Section 2(b)(1)(B) and (C)).
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Sentence Reductions: Covered prisoners may have their terms of imprisonment reduced if the court finds the offense was a direct result of the prisoner being a victim of trafficking (Section 2(e)(1)).
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Legal Protections and Privacy: The bill ensures that motions for relief are filed under seal to maintain the confidentiality of the movant (Section 2(h)(1)).
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Presumption of Duress: In federal prosecutions, a defendant who proves they were a victim of trafficking can create a rebuttable presumption that the offense was induced by duress (Section 6(b)(ii)).
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Removal of Financial Barriers: Individuals filing these motions are not required to pay any filing fees or processing charges (Section 2(g)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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No Change to Financial Obligations: While a conviction may be vacated, the court is not required to amend, impose, or remove any fine or restitution order (Section 2(c)(2)).
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Government Opposition: The Government has the right to file a motion in opposition to a request for vacatur or expungement, which triggers a mandatory hearing (Section 2(b)(3)(A)(i)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill provides a legal pathway to clear criminal records for those who were victims of trafficking, which often involves immigrant populations. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The removal of filing fees and the potential for record expungement helps low-income survivors avoid long-term legal barriers. Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides relief for trafficking victims, a demographic that may include high numbers of Hispanic individuals.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this shorten or soften prison sentences? — The bill allows for the vacating of convictions, expungement of arrest records, and reduction of prison terms for victims of trafficking. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Removing criminal records can improve long-term employment prospects for survivors of trafficking. Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — By providing legal recourse for trafficking victims, the bill may disproportionately benefit marginalized groups often targeted by traffickers.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires several legal proceedings and records to be filed under seal, which limits public access to court documents.
- 11/17/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/20/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/7/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/29/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/28/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/7/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/18/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/14/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/5/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/4/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/3/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 2/24/2025
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- 2/14/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 3 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
5 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Ami BeraDemocrat · California
Andy BiggsRepublican · Arizona
Nicholas BegichRepublican · Alaska
Byron DonaldsRepublican · Florida
Debbie DingellDemocrat · Michigan
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Robert GarciaDemocrat · California
Wesley HuntRepublican · Texas
Henry JohnsonDemocrat · Georgia
Kevin KileyIndependent · California
Ted LieuDemocrat · California
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York
Greg LandsmanDemocrat · Ohio
Deborah RossDemocrat · North Carolina
Emilia SykesDemocrat · Ohio
Derek SchmidtRepublican · Kansas
Ann WagnerRepublican · Missouri