Albany Government Law Review

This paper describes the history of the mail-order bride industry and gender stereotypes that have made the market for foreign brides what it is today. It explores the notion of women as property, as perpetuated by the mail-order bride industry, as well as describes and analyzes attempts by the United States government to regulate and punish persons involved in the industry’s exploitation of women. It also presents recommendations for increased regulation and oversight suggested by other authors, explores the potential drawbacks of some of these recommendations, and suggests alternative approaches to increasing protection of mail-order brides in the United States.