Victims of human trafficking can be found in any industry with demand for cheap labor where rigorous monitoring is lacking, such as agriculture, domestic work, restaurants, factories, and hospitality. Trafficking involves exploiting people by means of force, fraud or coercion to compel labor against one's will. Victims are often immigrants vulnerable due to debt from recruitment fees, employment-based visa restrictions tying them to specific employers, and lack of legal protections due to their immigration status.

1. Human Trafficking
Overview
Sex Trafficking in the U.S.
Labor Trafficking in the U.S.
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Victims of trafficking may be found in any industry with a
demand for cheap labor and a lack of rigorous monitoring.
“When he found out that I could braid hair he used me as a maid at one of his
girlfriend's shops when I was pregnant. I braided hair while he collected the
money.”
– Victim of trafficking.
Victims of traffickingmay be foundinany industry
withademandfor cheaplabor andalack of rigorous
monitoring. Victims are forcedto work against their
will inexploitative conditions for little or no pay. They
canbe foundinforestry, landscaping, construction,
carnivals, tourismandentertainment, elder-care
facilities, gas stations, nail salons, hair braidingsalons,
andother small businesses.
While workingas anail technician, awomaninher
early forties fromChinadisclosedto acustomerthat
she is rarely paidforherworkandthat she hadto turn
overhertips to the nail salonowners. She andthe
othernail technicians all livedinthe home of the owners of the salon. The owners drove the workers
to the salonevery day to work, andthe workers couldnot leave the house to go anywhere except to
work. The nail technicianwantedto leave herjob but couldnot.*
Several youngadults came to the U.S. fromvarious countries inCentral AmericaandAfricaon
temporary workvisas. The youngadults expectedto have goodworkingandlivingconditions, andto
have free time onweekends to travel andsee the U.S. However, they foundthemselves at jobs in
travelingcarnivals with unsanitary anddangerous conditions. They didnot always have access to
adequate foodandwater, andthey were expectedto workextremely longhours outside inthe heat
without breaks. The youngadults were toldthat if they triedto quit orreport the workingconditions,
they wouldbe breakingtheircontracts andwouldincuraseveral thousanddollarpenalty andbe
deported.*
*Basedoncalls receivedby the National HumanTraffickingResource Center. Identifyingdetails
have beenchangedto protect confidentiality.
When does it become trafficking?
Labor exploitationrises to the level of labor traffickingwhenthe victimis made to believe, throughthe
use of force, fraud, or coercionthat he or she cannot quit andhas no other choice but to continue to
work. Commonmeans of control include:
Force–Physical and/or sexual abuse;isolationor confinement to the place of work, labor campor
apartment suppliedby the trafficker;monitoringof movement andcommunication.
Fraud–Misrepresentationof the work, workingconditions, wages, andimmigrationbenefits of the
job;non-payment, underpayment or confiscationof wages;visafraude.g. allowingalegitimate visato
expire or failingto provide apromisedvisa, thereby increasingthe worker’s vulnerability to threats of
deportationandlimitinghis or her alternative job options.
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2. Top Resources
HumanTrafficking
National HumanTraffickingResource
Center
Sex TraffickingintheU.S.
RecognizingtheSigns
TheVictims
Client Quotes
Coercion –Verbal abuse;threats of harmto the victimor the victim’s family members;threats of
deportationor police involvement;isolation;exploitationof aforeignnational worker’s unfamiliarity
withthe language, laws andcustoms of the US;unreasonable deductions andfees for visas,
transportation, rent, food, tools, and/or uniforms to create debt.
*The above list is not comprehensive orcumulative. One element of force, fraudorcoercionmay be
present, ormany.
Vulnerabilities
Recruitment Debt –Some immigrants workinginthe hospitality industry holdemployment-based
visas suchas the J-1 or H2-B. Inorder to obtainthese or other visas, workers sometimes pay between
$1,000 and$20,000 inlegal andillegal feels to arecruiter, visasponsor, or employer. Oftentimes,
workers have to borrowmoney at highinterest rates or mortgage their family’s home, to pay the fee.
This debt, coupledwiththe fact that workers withJ-1 or H-2Bvisas are restrictedto certainemployers
to maintaintheir immigrationstatus, leave workers vulnerable to exploitation.
Employment-based visas
J-1 visa–is designatedfor exchange visitors ontemporary work andtravel programs. EachJ-1
visaholder has asponsor as well as anemployer, whichmay be separate entities. Visaholders are
able to change employers only after clearingit withtheir sponsor –otherwise they are inviolation
of their visaandsubject to deportation.
H-2Bvisa–is designatedfor temporary workers inunskilledindustries, excludingagriculture
whichuses the H-2A visa. H-2Bvisaholders are tiedto asingle employer. If they wishto leave an
abusive situation, they become undocumentedandrisk deportation.
Immigration Status–Labor traffickingvictims may be US citizens or immigrants. However,
immigrants –whether documentedor not –canbe particularly vulnerable to exploitationdue to
language barriers, unfamiliarity withtheir legal rights inthe US, and/or the lack of alocal support
network. Undocumentedworkers are particularly vulnerable to threats of deportationandare
unlikely to seek helpfromthe police.
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