U.S. Federal and State Law and Reports
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act was first passed in 2000 and subsequently reauthorized in 2003, 2005 and 2008. See a full history and links to all of these laws. The law makes provisions for T visas for foreign nationals who cooperate with federal authorities in the prosecution of their traffickers, which allow them to remain in the United States if they so choose and U visas for trafficked foreign nationals who were forced to commit a crime. All victims, regardless of cooperation and regardless of whether they are U.S. citizens or foreign nationals, are entitled to emergency social services.
U.S. Department of State, Trafficking in Persons Report
This report, which is mandated by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, assesses the progress being made by nations in addressing human trafficking around the world and in the United States.
President Obama’s Executive Order
U.S. Department of Labor’s list of goods produced by child or forced labor
This report lists goods that the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of International Labor Affairs has reason to believe were produced with child or forced labor. This report was mandated by the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Acts of 2005 and 2008. It does not cover goods produced using child or forced labor in the United States as that was not part of the TVPRA mandate.
However forced labor and child labor in the United States are briefly discussed in Section 4.3 of the report. It notes that the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor, “specifically targets low-wage industries, such as restaurants, janitorial services, hotels and motels, and agriculture, where forced labor is most likely to be found.”
