OVC Drops Restriction on Criminal Record Relief Representation in FY2020 Grants

By Danielle E. Gary, MHC-LP, Human Trafficking Subject Matter Expert Annually, the United States government acknowledges January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The White House’s written acknowledgment summarizes the state of the human trafficking movement, identifies the most pressing…

For over 10 years, FNUSA and its members have advocated for the passage of a comprehensive federal law to allow human trafficking survivors to clear criminal records related to their trafficking experience. On January 23, 2026, the Trafficking Survivors Relief…

At FNUSA, we are committed to building a transformative approach to human trafficking, grounded in anti-racism and anti-oppression. In recent years, we have grappled with the impacts of the anti-trafficking movement being so closely tied to law enforcement, as survivors…

FNUSA’s Survivor Reentry Project has grown substantially over the past two years. Our staff and pro bono partners are working harder than ever to assess, represent, and ultimately clear criminal records resulting from a trafficking experience. We are committed to…

Written by K.B. White Human trafficking survivors are often arrested, prosecuted, and convicted for crimes that their traffickers forced them to commit. As a result, survivors are marked by criminal records that create barriers to housing, employment, education, and even…

Earlier this month, the US Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) released their human trafficking program grant solicitations with a notable change. The office has dropped the funding restriction on criminal record relief representation for FY2020 grants.…