The Human Trafficking Legal Center

Immigrant health workers fear they can’t escape contracts
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Immigrant health workers fear they can’t escape contracts

Immigrants hired to yearslong contracts to fill thousands of U.S. healthcare roles said they are paid less than their co-workers, deceived about benefits such as free housing and, if they try to leave, threatened with tens of thousands in debt, NBC News reported June 4. More than a dozen immigrant healthcare employees told the news…

Women suing Seattle hip-hop artist in sex trafficking case face ticking clock
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Women suing Seattle hip-hop artist in sex trafficking case face ticking clock

Survivors of sexual assault and human trafficking may only be able to answer these questions years or decades after the abuse occurred, experts say. But the clock is running. In Washington state, trafficking victims have just three years to seek civil compensation for the crimes and damage suffered. And then the door closes. The time…

How Trump’s human trafficking efforts failed immigrant survivors
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How Trump’s human trafficking efforts failed immigrant survivors

Former President Donald Trump has made human trafficking central to his platform, pledging to mobilize the full force of the U.S. government to fight this “epidemic,” a hard line he recently reiterated in a speech in Ohio. Drawing on longstanding bipartisan support for anti-trafficking protection, Trump passed legislation to strengthen legal protections for survivors and increase funding for anti-trafficking efforts,…

Advocates say the number of labor trafficking victims is vastly undercounted | 90.5 WESA
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Advocates say the number of labor trafficking victims is vastly undercounted | 90.5 WESA

Listen to original here. LEILA FADEL, HOST: Greselda De Leon says she came to Boston to make money for her family in the Philippines but was treated like a slave. Jenifer McKim from our partner station GBH News reports De Leon’s story is more common in the United States than most people understand. JENIFER MCKIM,…

For labor trafficked immigrants, T-visas are a life-saving but flawed relief – WGBH
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For labor trafficked immigrants, T-visas are a life-saving but flawed relief – WGBH

In 2018, the police came to a home in Saugus, Massachusetts, to rescue Anabelle Masalon, a Filipina housekeeper who had been essentially a prisoner of the family from the United Arab Emirates that employed her. She had been forced to work 21-hour days, earning no more than $400 a month, unable to leave the house…

ATEST Joins 30+ Organizations to Oppose Industry Proposal that could Increase Imports of Forced Labor Products into U.S.
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ATEST Joins 30+ Organizations to Oppose Industry Proposal that could Increase Imports of Forced Labor Products into U.S.

Terry FitzPatrick October 20, 2022 The Honorable Chris Magnus Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20229 Re: Open Letter on Trade Data Transparency Dear Commissioner Magnus, The undersigned organizations and advocates write to express our collective outrage at a  recent proposal driven by industry groups as part of…

The fight for human labor trafficking (modern day slavery) victims continues
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The fight for human labor trafficking (modern day slavery) victims continues

Q: MY employer brought me to America to work as live-in nanny for their youngest child. I would be paid $1,000 per month with weekends off.  When we arrived in Los Angeles, my employer took my passport. I was then made to work 7 days a week, up to 16 hours per day, taking care…

Some ‘Human Trafficking’ Claims Undermine Real Atrocities – Bloomberg Law
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Some ‘Human Trafficking’ Claims Undermine Real Atrocities – Bloomberg Law

“Human trafficking” brings to mind images of “coyotes,” ferrying migrants across the border, women held in sex trade bondage, and impoverished foreign workers trapped in brutal working conditions. These abuses happen in America, and they require a strong response. To combat these evils, Congress enacted the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 “to combat trafficking…

FTS and Partners Urge G7 to Take Action Against Forced Labor in Supply Chains
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FTS and Partners Urge G7 to Take Action Against Forced Labor in Supply Chains

On June 13, 2022, Free the Slaves joined 20 civil society organizations, survivors, and academics in urging the G7 to adopt new measures in ensuring forced labor is eradicated from the global supply chain. The leaders of these prosperous countries have the resources and collective voice necessary to enact concrete steps that would protect those…

Human trafficking victim turns trauma into triumph
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Human trafficking victim turns trauma into triumph

According to a report from the Human Trafficking Legal Center, modern-day enslaved people number as many as 25 million, and most never see justice. Evelyn Chumbow, operations manager and survivor advocate for the Washington D.C.-based organization, said human trafficking happens around the world — and in the U.S. Her presentation was part of the Bon…