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How often are unauthorized immigrant workers trafficked, abused?

Date:
April 22, 2014
Source:
SAGE Publications
Summary:
Labor trafficking -- or recruiting a person for labor through force, fraud, or coercion for involuntary servitude, debt bondage, or even slavery –- has been a difficult problem to track among undocumented migrant workers. With unique access to a 'hidden population' from one of America's largest Spanish-speaking immigrant destinations, a recent study finds that more than 30 percent of undocumented migrant laborers in this area are victims of labor trafficking and 55 percent are victims of other labor abuses.
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Labor trafficking -- or recruiting a person for labor through force, fraud, or coercion for involuntary servitude, debt bondage, or even slavery -- has been a difficult problem to track among undocumented migrant workers. With unique access to a "hidden population" from one of America's largest Spanish-speaking immigrant destinations, a recent study finds that more than 30% of undocumented migrant laborers in this area are victims of labor trafficking and 55% are victims of other labor abuses.

In this study, published in the May issue of The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, researchers Sheldon X. Zhang, Michael W. Spiller, Brian Karl Finch and Yang Qin used recent advances in sampling methodology to survey 826 migrant workers in San Diego County. The researchers found that trafficking violations and labor abuse were more commonly inflicted by employers in the work place than by smugglers during transportation and that janitorial and construction workers reported the most violations and abuse.

"One shouldn't be surprised by the findings from the study. While we are all striving for a better life, we as a society should become more conscientious about improving the working conditions of those whom we have come to depend on for our living standard," commented the study authors.

The researchers also found that illegal status is likely the most significant factor contributing to vulnerability to trafficking violations.

"Labor trafficking and other forms of gross exploitation are happening in the U.S. and always to those who have the least," the researchers concluded. "The challenge is to figure out what to do about them."


Story Source:

Materials provided by SAGE Publications. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. S. X. Zhang, M. W. Spiller, B. K. Finch, Y. Qin. Estimating Labor Trafficking among Unauthorized Migrant Workers in San Diego. The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 2014; 653 (1): 65 DOI: 10.1177/0002716213519237

Cite This Page:

SAGE Publications. "How often are unauthorized immigrant workers trafficked, abused?." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 April 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140422100107.htm>.
SAGE Publications. (2014, April 22). How often are unauthorized immigrant workers trafficked, abused?. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140422100107.htm
SAGE Publications. "How often are unauthorized immigrant workers trafficked, abused?." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140422100107.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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