A bill to prohibit individuals charged with or convicted of human trafficking or drug trafficking offenses committed near the border of the United States from receiving Federal benefits.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 16, 2023
This bill prohibits an individual who is indicted for, charged with, or convicted of a covered trafficking offense from receiving federal benefits.
Covered trafficking offense refers to a human trafficking offense or a drug trafficking offense occurring at an international border, or within the territorial waters, of the United States.
Federal benefit refers to (1) the issuance of any grant, contract, loan, professional license, or commercial license provided by a U.S. agency or by appropriated U.S. funds; and (2) any retirement, welfare, Social Security, health, disability, veterans, public housing, or other similar benefit.
The bill requires the federal government to provide retroactive benefits payments for an individual who has the charge dismissed or is found not guilty of the covered trafficking offense.
Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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