18 U.S.C. § 28 — Human trafficking defense

1. (a)DefinitionsIn this section—
   1. (1)the term “covered Federal offense” means a level A offense or level B offense, as those terms are defined in section 3771A; and
   2. (2)the term “victim of trafficking” has the meaning given the term in section 103 of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7102).
2. (b)DuressIn a prosecution for a covered Federal offense, a defendant may establish duress by demonstrating that the defendant was a victim of trafficking at the time at which the defendant committed the offense.
3. (c)Record or Proceeding Under SealIn any proceeding in which a defense under subsection (b) is raised, any record or part of the proceeding related to the defense shall, on motion, be placed under seal until such time as a conviction is entered for the offense.
4. (d)Post-Conviction ReliefA failure to assert, or failed assertion of, a defense under subsection (b) by an individual who is convicted of a covered Federal offense may not preclude the individual from asserting as a mitigating factor, at sentencing or in a proceeding for any post-conviction relief, that at the time of the commission of the offense, the defendant was a victim of trafficking and committed the offense under duress.
5. (e)Federal AidA failure to assert, or failed assertion of, a defense under subsection (b) by an individual who is convicted of a covered Federal offense may not be used for the purpose of disqualifying the individual from participating in any federally funded program that aids victims of trafficking.