When we think of slavery in the U.S. we automatically think of the past, but through the efforts of numerous organizations the issue of modern day slavery has come to the publics attention. When I hear human-trafficking I think of prostitution, and the ever-growing business involved with pimps exploiting young girls. However, there are a number of farms in California, Hawaii, and Washington who are being accusing of luring immigrant workers from Thailand and then forcing them to work for no pay. The owners of these farms offer the workers a lucrative job working on a farm and help them get a passport and workers visa to come to the U.S. When the workers finally arrive to the states their passports are taken from them and they are threatened with deportation if they talk. Even worse, when they start to work on a farm they are slapped with a recruitment fee that was upwards of $10,000. The lawsuit is seeking backpay and damages for each of the workers, but there could potentially be hundreds of clients involved. When CNN contacted the farms being prosecuted, not of them would answer or comment on the situation.
CNN.COM - http://thecnnfreedomproject.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/21/feds-file-human-trafficking-suit-against-farm-labor-contractor/?hpt=T2
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