Government Documents

United States. Cong. Senate. Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorisation Act, 2003 (H.R. 2620). 108th Congress. 15 Apr 2008. http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=108_cong_public_laws&docid=f:publ193.108

This is a U.S. law addressing slavery and trafficking in the United States. This law provides amendments to a previous law from 2000 allowing for more stringent punishment of traffickers and more extensive research into ways of combating slavery. It lays out the types of protection available to victims of the sex trade or other forms of trafficking. This is useful information for the purpose of ascertaining what measures have been taken against slavery in the U.S. to date, and for gauging the effects on slavery since the law’s implementation.


United States. U.S. Department of Justice. New Classification for Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons; Eligibility for “T” Nonimmigrant Status [67 FR 4784] [FR 4-02]. 31 Jan 2002. 6 Jun 2008. http://www.uscis.gov/propub/ProPubVAP.jsp?dockey=d0455094ec9450594ff85b2ddfa2d8da

This law from the U.S. Department of Justice allows for illegal immigrants to obtain what is called a “T-Visa,” a visa specially issued for illegal immigrants who can prove they were victims of trafficking. According to some sources, this law is often challenging to apply, as it can be difficult for victims to prove they were subjected to a "severe form of trafficking." The T-Visa covers individuals who "have been recruited, harbored, transported, provided, or obtained for labor or services, or the purposes of a commercial sex act." There also has to be proof that they were subjected to force, coercion, or fraud, which can be difficult to document.


United States. U.S. Department of State. Trafficking in Persons Report. June 2008. 8 Jun 2008. http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/105501.pdf

This report, issued by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, is an annual update on the state of slavery worldwide. It contains useful information in the form of definitions, personal testimonies, and updates on the current strategies being employed to eradicate slavery. Statistics are provided on the number of slavery convictions by year for various regions. Also useful is a country-by-country examination of slavery involvement, as well as a watch list ranking countries by the extent of their involvement in slavery.