After McBride Push, State Department Finally Releases 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report

WASHINGTON, DC- Following months of pressure from Congresswoman Sarah McBride (DE-AL) and her colleagues, the State Department today released the long-overdue 2025 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. Federal law requires that the TIP Report be delivered to Congress by June 30 each year. This summer marked the first time in the report's history that the release was delayed past July.

McBride has been a leading voice pressing the Trump Administration for answers after it gutted the TIP Office by laying off 70% of its staff earlier this year, leaving fewer than three dozen employees to carry out the government's central anti-trafficking mission. In July, McBride directly challengedDeputy Secretary of State Michael Rigas during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing, questioning how such cuts could possibly be justified amidst a global trafficking crisis.

She followed upwith legislative action, passing a bipartisan amendmentrequiring the State Department to report to Congress on the impact of these staffing reductions on the timeliness and accuracy of the TIP Report.

Rep. McBride said:

"Let's be clear: this report should never have been delayed in the first place. Survivors and advocates rely on the TIP Report as a lifeline, and its release is required by law. The Trump Administration's decision to gut the very office responsible for fighting trafficking was reckless and inexcusable. I'm proud that through persistent oversight and bipartisan support, we forced accountability and secured the release of this critical report. I will be reading it closely, alongside advocates and survivors, to ensure that it lives up to its mission - shining a light on trafficking and pressing governments to act. But our work doesn't end here - Congress must ensure that the TIP Office is fully staffed and empowered, and that no trafficker, no matter how powerful, can escape accountability."

The 2025 TIP Report is available here: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/

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