Anti-Trafficking Bill Boosts Funding Through 2030, Forces World Bank to Vet Projects, and Protects Diplomatic Workers

The new International Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2025 is essentially a major system upgrade for how the U.S. government fights human trafficking overseas. It reauthorizes funding for key programs through Fiscal Year 2030, strengthens oversight, and—crucially—forces anti-trafficking efforts into the nuts and bolts of international finance and foreign aid.

Following the Money: Making Global Banks Check Their Work

One of the most significant changes here is how the U.S. will approach international development money. Section 101 mandates that the U.S. Treasury Secretary must instruct our representatives at major multilateral development banks (think the World Bank or regional development banks) to push for mandatory anti-trafficking risk assessments on new projects. This requirement targets projects in countries already flagged by the U.S. as serious trafficking concerns (Tier 2 Watch List or "Special Cases").

What does this mean in the real world? Say the World Bank is funding a massive new infrastructure project, like a highway or a dam, in a high-risk country. Historically, these huge projects can inadvertently create opportunities for forced labor or sex trafficking by moving large numbers of vulnerable people. Now, the U.S. is requiring that anti-trafficking measures aren't an afterthought but are built into the project plan from day one. It’s an attempt to stop the problem before the concrete is even poured.

Foreign Aid: Do No Harm

Section 102 updates the Foreign Assistance Act to make counter-trafficking a core policy goal. This isn’t just adding a line to a mission statement; it’s a practical requirement. The President must now ensure that U.S. aid programs do not create or add to situations where highly vulnerable people—especially those dealing with natural disasters or conflict—are more likely to end up trafficked. The government must integrate protections right into the planning process.

This is a big deal for aid workers and contractors. If you’re running a program in a disaster zone, your planning now explicitly requires you to consider how your actions might increase risk for the people you’re trying to help and build in safeguards. It’s a formal recognition that badly managed aid can sometimes backfire.

Clearing Up the Withholding Rules

When a country fails to meet minimum standards for fighting trafficking, the U.S. is supposed to withhold certain aid. Section 105 clarifies exactly what aid gets withheld, targeting nonhumanitarian, nontrade-related foreign assistance sent directly to the central government. This includes things like most arms sales and direct government funding.

Crucially, the bill protects aid that goes to the people, not the government. Assistance for health programs, disaster relief, food aid (under the Food for Peace Act), and money channeled through NGOs or international groups will still flow, even to non-compliant nations. The idea is to use funding as leverage against bad governments without punishing the citizens or disrupting critical aid programs.

Protections for Diplomatic Household Workers

For those working in the U.S., Section 106 expands protections for domestic workers employed by foreign diplomats and international organization staff (on A3 or G5 visas). These workers are often isolated and vulnerable to exploitation.

Now, the State Department must run a nationwide Domestic Worker In-Person Registration Program. When these employees arrive, and every year they stay, they must receive a briefing on their rights under federal and state law, contact info for the National Human Trafficking Hotline, and a pamphlet on labor standards. Furthermore, the diplomatic employers must now report the wages they pay these employees annually. Failure to comply can lead to visa suspension or even prosecution for the employer—a necessary tightening of the rules to prevent abuse in a system that often shields employers behind diplomatic immunity.