ACLU Hails Senate Markup of Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEUnited States,” said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. “The GAO report released yesterday on the government’s efforts to address the abuse of domestic workers by diplomats clearly demonstrated a need for increased congressional action and oversight. The legislation will send a clear signal that the United States will not tolerate this kind of exploitation or enslavement. We urge the Senate to continue its efforts not only to protect this vulnerable population but also to hold accountable the individuals, cloaked by diplomatic immunity, who act with impunity and disregard for our laws.”
As the TVPRA moves through the legislative process, the ACLU looks forward to working with members of Congress to strengthen the protections for domestic workers in the bill and remove those provisions that may unwittingly punish the victims.
Additionally, the ACLU applauds the decision to keep the TVPRA free of language conflating prostitution with trafficking. “Doing otherwise would be to stray away from the fundamental goal of this legislation – to eliminate the enslavement and exploitation of individuals,” said ACLU Legislative Counsel Vania Leveille.
For more information, visit /domesticworkers.
The July 2008 GAO report, “U.S. Government’s Efforts to to Address Alleged Abuse of Household Workers by Foreign Diplomats with Immunity Could Be Strengthened” is available at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08892.pdf
# # #
Stay Informed
Every month, you'll receive regular roundups of the most important civil rights and civil liberties developments. Remember: a well-informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.
By completing this form, I agree to receive occasional emails per the terms of the ACLU’s privacy policy.
The Latest in Smart Justice
ACLU's Vision
The American Civil Liberties Union is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America.
Learn More About Smart Justice

The ACLU Campaign for Smart Justice is an unprecedented, multiyear effort to reduce the U.S. jail and prison population by 50% and to challenge racism in the criminal legal system.