Last week we convened the ATIP Policy Roundtable in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room in the U.S. Senate, bringing together more than 80 national leaders, seven bipartisan Members of Congress, and HHS Assistant Secretary Alex Adams for a focused discussion on two of the most urgent fronts in the fight against human trafficking: protecting children in foster care and strengthening accountability for Big Tech.
The Kennedy Caucus Room, long known as the setting for some of the most consequential hearings in congressional history, provided a fitting backdrop. Four years ago, the very first ATIP Roundtable was held in this same room with just 13 organizations. The growth since then underscores how rapidly the anti-trafficking movement has expanded and how urgently policymakers are responding to emerging threats.
Assistant Secretary Alex Adams opened the event by highlighting a stark reality: children in the foster care system remain among the most vulnerable targets for traffickers. Participants examined the systemic gaps that place foster youth at disproportionate risk and discussed legislative solutions designed to close those gaps.
One of the central policy tools discussed was the GRACIE Act, which addresses one of the largest child-welfare vulnerabilities affecting 37.4% of U.S. children. Leaders emphasized that meaningful reform must reflect the lived realities of foster youth and the frontline professionals who serve them.
The second major focus of the roundtable was the growing role of technology platforms in trafficking recruitment, exploitation, and control. As Anne Basham noted, traffickers increasingly operate “in plain sight,” leveraging digital infrastructure to reach victims faster and more anonymously than ever before.
Seven bipartisan Members of Congress participated, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Rep. Chris Smith, Rep. Gary Palmer, Rep. Jake Auchincloss, Rep. Burgess Owens, and Rep. Troy Carter. Their message was unified: voluntary measures from technology companies are no longer enough. Legislative accountability must be built into law to ensure platforms take meaningful action to prevent exploitation.
We are especially grateful to our client Street Grace, who sponsored the event and made this day possible.