By Alexandra Sullivan, Contributing Writer

Immigration in America is a hot-button issue, but one undeniable aspect of immigration is that the complicated process puts strain on hopeful immigrants and makes them vulnerable to human trafficking. Loopholes in the immigration system exacerbate the problem, and those looking to make a new life in the U.S. may suffer as a result. 

Concern for Children

Children of immigrants are some of the most vulnerable targets of human trafficking. For example, according to a Senate report, the Department of Health and Human Services mistakenly gave custody of more than a dozen immigrant children to human traffickers. This was due to a failure to conduct proper background checks on these so-called caregivers.

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. The number of unaccompanied immigrant children entered into federal care doubled from 13,625 in 2012 to 24,468 in 2013. In 2019, more than 72,000 were taken into federal care. July 2020 saw as many as 23,785 children near the southwest border alone. Many children without relatives are put into a foster care system, and even those who are claimed by relatives are often sold to traffickers to pay off smuggling debts. The New York Times claims that officials often do not check whether adults receiving custody of unaccompanied immigrants are in fact relatives or not.

Promises of Employment

Many immigrants look to enter the country by finding employment in the U.S., which human traffickers exploit. Immigrants see and apply for a supposed job opportunity, but when they arrive, they are taken not to the job they applied for, but to a brothel or to engage in some other kind of unpaid, enslaved labor. Immigrants of all ages have been victims of forced labor in all industries. 

Earlier this year, Ralph Colamussi from East Northport, New York, was found guilty of having forced labor at a catering company called Thatched Cottage. Workers had been brought all the way from the Philippines using H-2B visas. After these expired, they were forced to apply for student visas and acted as full-time students. Colamussi would occasionally deposit funds into their accounts to make it seem as though they had adequate financial support, but he would merely withdraw the money once the visas were approved. Any objections from the workers were met with threats to contact immigration authorities. Colamussi faces up to 20 years in prison and a large fine. 

Exploitation of immigrants, especially undocumented, is extremely common. They are especially vulnerable to human traffickers due to their fear of deportation. Many traffickers will offer aid to undocumented immigrants, and out of fear of law enforcement, they will accept, often ending up enslaved in brothels or warehouses. 

There is still much to do in the fight for the abolishment of trafficking. If you’d like to contribute, consider volunteering to be a Child Ambassador for One Bread Foundation. All you must do is share our newsletter, blogs and social media posts with your network and keep an eye out for resources and collaboration opportunities in your own community. If you’re interested or want to learn more, please contact David P. Bernal at info@one-bread.org.