How a Vague Provision of Human Trafficking Law Is Threatening Religious Communities | John Lauro

American Thought Leaders · Oct 14, 2026 · 37m

A 2008 update to the landmark Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) is increasingly being used to target religious communities, says attorney John Lauro, and raising red flags for experts in constitutional law.

The definition of the term “serious harm” in the statute was altered to include psychological and other non-physical harms.

And in recent years, “that provision has been weaponized by plaintiffs’ lawyers,” Lauro says.

This could affect the many religious communities that involve members voluntarily giving their time or money to religious causes; some of whom may later become…