Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking

The Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) is a coalition of US-based organizations that work to combat modern slavery and human trafficking. The alliance was formed in 2008 and includes leading human rights organizations, faith-based groups, labor unions, and others. ATEST works to end modern slavery and human trafficking through advocacy, research, and education. The organization advocates for policies and practices that will help to prevent and combat these crimes, and it conducts research to better understand the scope and nature of modern slavery and human trafficking. Additionally, ATEST educates the public and policymakers about modern slavery and human trafficking, and it works to raise awareness about these issues. ATEST is a leading voice in the fight against modern slavery and human trafficking in the US.

ATEST Applauds Senate Confirmation of Cindy Dyer as J/TIP Ambassador
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ATEST Applauds Senate Confirmation of Cindy Dyer as J/TIP Ambassador

December 21, 2022 • 5:00 pm • Terry FitzPatrick WASHINGTON – The Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) thanks the U.S. Senate for confirming Cindy Dyer to become the next director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP), with the rank of ambassador. Her appointment by President Biden earlier this…

ATEST Urges Leadership to Bring Cindy Dyer’s J/TIP Director Nomination to Full Senate Vote
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ATEST Urges Leadership to Bring Cindy Dyer’s J/TIP Director Nomination to Full Senate Vote

Terry FitzPatrick December 9, 2022 The Honorable Chuck Schumer U.S. Senate Majority Leader The Honorable Mitch McConnell U.S. Senate Minority Leader Dear Senators Schumer and McConnell, The Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) urges you to quickly bring to a full Senate vote the nomination of Cindy Dyer to direct the Office to Monitor…

ATEST Applauds Senate Passage of the Second of Four Bills to Reauthorize Trafficking Victims Protection Act
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ATEST Applauds Senate Passage of the Second of Four Bills to Reauthorize Trafficking Victims Protection Act

Terry FitzPatrick WASHINGTON – The Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) thanks members of the U.S. Senate for passage this week of the International Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (S. 4171). This bill is a key component of a four-part package of legislation to reauthorize the legal framework for efforts by the United States…

ATEST Joins Movement-Wide Call Urging Senate to Pass Anti-Trafficking Act
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ATEST Joins Movement-Wide Call Urging Senate to Pass Anti-Trafficking Act

November 28, 2022 • 10:28 am • Terry FitzPatrick November 28, 2022 Dear United States Senators: We, a community of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and anti-trafficking leaders working to end human trafficking, declare in solidarity that we strongly support the reauthorization of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). We are grateful for the energy and attention…

ATEST Joins 30+ Organizations to Oppose Industry Proposal that could Increase Imports of Forced Labor Products into U.S.
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ATEST Joins 30+ Organizations to Oppose Industry Proposal that could Increase Imports of Forced Labor Products into U.S.

Terry FitzPatrick October 20, 2022 The Honorable Chris Magnus Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20229 Re: Open Letter on Trade Data Transparency Dear Commissioner Magnus, The undersigned organizations and advocates write to express our collective outrage at a  recent proposal driven by industry groups as part of…

ATEST Requests Biden-Harris Administration Dedicate $1.25 Billion to Combat Human Trafficking in Fiscal Year 2024
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ATEST Requests Biden-Harris Administration Dedicate $1.25 Billion to Combat Human Trafficking in Fiscal Year 2024

ATEST Requests Biden-Harris Administration Dedicate $1.25 Billion to Combat Human Trafficking in Fiscal Year 2024 October 5, 2022 • 12:42 pm • Terry FitzPatrick WASHINGTON – The scale of forced labor is increasing worldwide, and the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking (ATEST) is recommending the U.S. government increase funding to meet the growing human…

Bills Awaiting Gov. Newsom's Signature Could Give International Contract Workers Some Protections
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Bills Awaiting Gov. Newsom's Signature Could Give International Contract Workers Some Protections

Two bills awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature — or veto — would broaden protections for an estimated 300,000 foreign contract workers laboring in California on work visas. While the documented abusive conditions in “guest worker” visa programs have led to calls for their termination, these bills would offer some improvements to the workers involved. AB…

CNN op-ed: Five reasons I’m optimistic despite grim new statistics on forced labor
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CNN op-ed: Five reasons I’m optimistic despite grim new statistics on forced labor

Editor’s note: there are multiple videos on the original post’s page here. Terry FitzPatrick is director of the Alliance to End Slavery and Trafficking, a coalition of US-based organizations working to prevent and combat forced labor and human trafficking in more than 100 countries. He is writing in his personal capacity as an expert with…

California’s international contract workers could gain some protections through new bills
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California’s international contract workers could gain some protections through new bills

Two bills awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature — or veto — would broaden protections for an estimated 300,000 foreign contract workers laboring in California on work visas. While the documented abusive conditions in “guest worker” visa programs have led to calls for their termination, these bills would offer some improvements to the workers involved. AB 364,…

ATEST Joins Others to Support Passage of Bill to Help Trafficking Survivors Clear their Names of Wrongful Criminal Records
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ATEST Joins Others to Support Passage of Bill to Help Trafficking Survivors Clear their Names of Wrongful Criminal Records

Terry FitzPatrick September 14, 2022 The undersigned non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and anti-trafficking leaders who work to end human trafficking, write in support of H.R. 8672, the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act of 2022 (TSRA) introduced by Representatives Owens (R-UT) and Lieu (D-CA) in the House of Representatives. A companion bill is pending introduction in the Senate….