Labor Trafficking In The United States

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They work on U.S. construction sites and farms, in restaurants and hotels, even in homes. Foreign workers, lured by false promises of good jobs in America, soon find themselves enslaved in plain sight as victims of labor trafficking, according to a new report published by the nonpartisan Urban Institute and Northeastern University. About half of these workers pay "recruitment" fees to traffickers -- often thousands of dollars -- that can leave them stuck in debt for years. And while some victims are smuggled here, a majority - or 71% - actually enter the United States with a visa, the report found. The International Labour Organization estimates that there are roughly 21 million people worldwide who are victims of forced labor, but there…show more content…
Department of Justice, the report details the way in which victims get ensnared by labor traffickers and how difficult it is for them break free. Here's how it can happen. The bait: Victims often hear about a job opportunity from someone they know in their home country. They then meet with a recruiter who is often from an employment agency seeking workers for U.S. employers. The pitch: "Employment in America would offer them a unique opportunity at a better life for both themselves and their families," the report said. Related: The underground sex economy In 93% of the cases that the Urban Institute reviewed, the recruiter misrepresented some key element of the job: the nature of the work, the hours, the benefits (health insurance, tuition, vacation) and the perks (e.g., free housing, or even legal permanent residence in the United States). In terms of pay, the report found that the wages promised by recruiters are "not outlandishly high relative to the federal minimum wage." But in light of all the benefits and perks promised, they seem more generous. The switch: Once the pitch is made, the recruiter may then pressure victims to quickly sign contracts they don't understand and pay a high recruitment…show more content…
Immigration facts to know in 75 seconds The real nightmare: Once here, labor trafficking victims are subject to multiple forms of mental, physical or financial abuse at the hands of their employer or the subcontractor that brought them into the country. Among the most common abuses reported: Being paid less than promised or having pay withheld; being threatened with violence or otherwise demoralized; being forced to work more hours than advertised; and having their movements to and from work controlled - that is, if they aren't forced to live at the work site. Besides taxes, the employer or subcontractor issuing workers' paychecks may also take out money for supplies, housing, food, utilities, transportation, health insurance (never provided), plus state, paperwork or immigration-status "fees." After all the deductions, the amount of money left over is often not enough to help trafficked workers pay down their debt the way they had planned. Related: Big business fights human
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