Farm Labor

60 Minutes exposes Asian gangster-run sex rings in Australia – TDPel Media
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60 Minutes exposes Asian gangster-run sex rings in Australia – TDPel Media

Vulnerable sex workers are being forced to service customers day and night out of squalid hotel rooms as international sex traffickers operate with impunity in Australia by abusing the nation’s weak immigration requirements. The young women are transported to Australia via so-called visa farms with no upfront fees, which are operated by immigration agents working…

Three Defendants Sentenced in Multi-State Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Forced Labor of Mexican Agricultural H-2A Workers
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Three Defendants Sentenced in Multi-State Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Forced Labor of Mexican Agricultural H-2A Workers

Three defendants were sentenced today for their roles in a federal racketeering conspiracy that victimized over a dozen Mexican H-2A workers who had worked in the United States harvesting fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products between 2015 and 2017. U.S. District Court Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell for the Middle District of Florida sentenced Christina Gamez,…

United States Attorney Announces Results Of Efforts To Combat Human Trafficking
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United States Attorney Announces Results Of Efforts To Combat Human Trafficking

Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the results achieved to date by the Middle District of Florida to combat human trafficking. This includes trafficking of minors, forced labor, and sex trafficking of adults by force, fraud, or coercion. During fiscal year 2022, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of…

Owner Of Farm Labor Contracting Company Pleads Guilty In Racketeering Conspiracy Involving The Forced Labor Of Mexican Workers
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Owner Of Farm Labor Contracting Company Pleads Guilty In Racketeering Conspiracy Involving The Forced Labor Of Mexican Workers

WASHINGTON —Bladimir Moreno, 55, pleaded guilty in federal court in Tampa, Florida, to charges of conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and conspiracy to commit forced labor. A federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida had previously returned a six-count indictment against multiple defendants for their roles in a…

Bills Awaiting Gov. Newsom's Signature Could Give International Contract Workers Some Protections
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Bills Awaiting Gov. Newsom's Signature Could Give International Contract Workers Some Protections

Two bills awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature — or veto — would broaden protections for an estimated 300,000 foreign contract workers laboring in California on work visas. While the documented abusive conditions in “guest worker” visa programs have led to calls for their termination, these bills would offer some improvements to the workers involved. AB…

California’s international contract workers could gain some protections through new bills
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California’s international contract workers could gain some protections through new bills

Two bills awaiting Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature — or veto — would broaden protections for an estimated 300,000 foreign contract workers laboring in California on work visas. While the documented abusive conditions in “guest worker” visa programs have led to calls for their termination, these bills would offer some improvements to the workers involved. AB 364,…

What is Labor Trafficking? It is always about people – Lewiston Sun Journal
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What is Labor Trafficking? It is always about people – Lewiston Sun Journal

As I write this week, I realize we’re approaching Labor Day weekend at warp speed. Most of us wonder about the rate at which summer proceeds, and I have yet to hear a believable explanation. Labor Day reminds me of Caesar Chavez’s quote, “It is never about grapes and lettuce. It is always about people”….

Why Growers Are Bracing Themselves for More H-2A Regulations
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Why Growers Are Bracing Themselves for More H-2A Regulations

The horticulture industry seeks broader access to H-2A and H-2B programs, but legislators are moving toward more rules and strict documentation. Craig Regelbrugge, Senior Vice President of AmericanHort, Shawn Packer of JPH Law Firm, and Tom Bortnyk of MAS Labor discussed industry challenges at a session titled “Labor Issues and Trends” in Columbus, OH. Regelbrugge…

Farm labor traffickers bribed Georgia government employees, federal agent testifies
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Farm labor traffickers bribed Georgia government employees, federal agent testifies

The agent testified that bribery was linked to approval of farmworker housing, a key step in bringing seasonal workers in the U.S. Prosecutors say the organization targeted by Blooming Onion subjected workers to degrading living conditions, including housing them in cramped trailers The investigation has led to criminal prosecutions against 28 defendants charged with forced…