Seafood is one of America’s favorite foods — but much of it comes at a terrible cost. Investigations show that tens of thousands of workers on distant-water fleets are trapped in conditions that meet the definition of modern slavery. They are deceived by recruiters, stripped of their passports, denied wages, and forced to work in brutal and dangerous conditions. 

Shockingly, some of this seafood ends up in U.S. government supply chains. In just one year, over $400 million was spent on seafood for military meals and school lunches, plus another $50 million for elder-nutrition programs. That means American children, troops, and seniors are being served seafood tainted by forced labor — and taxpayers are footing the bill. 

The U.S. already has laws banning imports made with forced labor, but weak enforcement and procurement loopholes allow slave-caught seafood to slip through. Now is the moment to change this. In August 2025, the U.S. government expanded enforcement of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), naming seafood as a high-risk sector. The tools exist to fix this — what’s missing is the political will. 

We demand that Congress and federal agencies take action now: 

• Ban slave-caught seafood from all federal food programs — from schools to military bases to elder care. 
• Require strict supplier audits and traceability for every seafood contract. 
• Enforce existing laws to keep forced-labor seafood out of U.S. markets. 

Slavery was abolished in America more than 150 years ago. It’s unacceptable that taxpayer money is still funding it today. 

Sign now and demand a ban on slave-caught seafood in all federally funded meals.