Blumenthal Statement on the Supreme Court Decision in Nestle v. Doe

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement today after the United States Supreme Court ruled in favor of Nestlé USA and Cargill in a case brought by human trafficking victims against the companies:

“This decision is a disappointing loss for the victims and survivors of human trafficking who had to endure unspeakable horrors as child slaves. Those who benefit from trafficking and forced labor, including corporate giants, must be held accountable. That is exactly what Congress intended when it overwhelmingly passed the bipartisan Trafficking Victims Protection Act—that liability for this egregious offense be extensive in order to give international victims a voice and their day in court. Regardless of today’s outcome, the United States must continue to send an unequivocal and resounding message: child slavery is abhorrent and cannot be tolerated.”

In December, Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) led a bipartisan group of 21 members of Congress in filing an amicus brief supporting victims of human trafficking in their case against the two corporations alleged to have knowingly aided and abetted the abuse of child slaves trafficked to work on cacao farms in Côte d’Ivoire. The full text of the amicus brief is available here. 

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