Temporary Visas

Data from the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 4,816 likely victims from January 1, 2015 – December 31, 2020 who were in the United States and legally working under at least eight different temporary visas. The purpose of this brief is to examine the roles recruitment practices, regulations, and enforcement play in the experiences of trafficking victims who are in the United States on temporary worker visas.

Conozca y exija sus derechos y protecciones bajo la visa H-2A. Con este tipo de visa, puede trabajar legalmente en la industria agrícola en los Estados Unidos.

There was a more than 70% increase in reported likely labor trafficking victims who held H-2A visas that authorizes the work of migrant agricultural workers in the United States. In addition to other abuses, one-third of these individuals complained about being denied medical attention, while they were deemed essential by the United States Government.

October 28th marks 20 years since the first Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) was signed into law establishing the crime of human trafficking in the United States and forming the baseline for where the movement head.

The case of Larsen Farms in Texas is only one example of how the H-2A visa system is badly broken. Farms owners should be held accountable for what happens under their watch.

The USDA notice cancelling the Farm Labor Survey will lower the salaries of H-2A workers and also leaves them at more risk of human trafficking.

During COVID-19, temporary changes in regulations to work visas, like H-2A and H-2B, benefit employers but put workers at greater risk of human trafficking and exploitation. Lack of oversight and lack of clear access to crucial information for workers increases the imbalance of power, favoring employers.

Los cambios en los protocolos de visas temporales de trabajo debido al COVID-19 crean más desbalances de poder y ponen a los trabajadores en riesgo de trata laboral.

Some workers in the restaurant industry are now more isolated than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This makes them even more vulnerable to human trafficking.

Algunos trabajadores de la industria de restaurantes ahora están más aislados que nunca debido a la pandemia de COVID-19. Esto los hace aún más vulnerables a la trata de personas.

Polaris detalla las distintas industrias que en los Estados Unidos ofrecen un terreno fértil para la trata de personas y explotación de latinoamericanos y caribeños.

In a new report, Polaris describes the industries that prey on communities from Latin America and the Caribbean for human trafficking and exploitation in the United States.