07/30/2023
Today is the United Nation鈥檚 World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
This past week, I had the honor of being invited by SAFE Coalition for Human Rights to speak on an awareness panel. I spoke on how the undocumented can be very vulnerable to human trafficking due to their legal status, and what my office is doing to combat this. We are getting better at screening for these cases and finding solutions for our clients. Shout out to my amazing staff for their dedication and support in this mission.
Every country in the world is affected by human trafficking. Human trafficking is a crime that exploits women, children and men for numerous purposes including forced labor and s*x. Here in the United States, if you are a victim of human trafficking and you are undocumented, you may qualify for a visa.
On a personal level, I am appalled by the number of cases I have uncovered locally, especially labor based trafficking. Fear and coercion has been what has stopped many from reporting sooner. Human rights should never be violated, and especially not because of someone鈥檚 legal status. Please pay your employees the wages required by law, including overtime. If you aren鈥檛 doing so, I am coming for you.
Regardless of your legal status, if you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call 1-888-373-7888.