Temporary Visas

Actions are needed to help mitigate H-2B workers’ vulnerabilities and empower them to secure their rights and pursue safe, justly compensated work in the U.S.

Without enough inspectors, outreach staff, and other resources at the Department of Labor, we will continue to read about child labor in meat packing industries, back wages owed to workers, and other violations.

The Department of Homeland Security has taken an important step to protect noncitizen workers from exploitative  employers who threaten them with retaliation related to their immigration status.

Polaris, Consejo Ciudadano, and The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking gathered virtually to enhance regional cooperation to assist victims and survivors of human trafficking.

It is no secret that the U.S. agriculture industry is largely sustained by a Mexican workforce, as few U.S.-born workers are willing to take these difficult and low-paid jobs. This is why Polaris has been working tirelessly with the Consulates from Mexico in the U.S. to speak directly with the Mexican community working in the U.S.

“Human trafficking is a complex and dynamic crime,” said Catherine Chen, CEO of Polaris. “Without an investigation of exactly what happened before migrants were put on a plane and unwittingly used for political gain, it would be irresponsible to accuse anyone of trafficking. 

Data from the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline shows that guest workers who come to this country legally are frequently exploited and victimized by forced labor and other forms of trafficking.

While trafficking and exploitation are illegal already, the fact that domestic workers have few enumerated rights under law makes them particularly vulnerable.

Nonechka means “close to you” in Nahuatl, one of the many indigenous languages spoken in Mexico. Polaris’s partner organizations distribute information via text and phone messages to inform workers about their rights and the services available where they are.

Catherine Chen, CEO of Polaris, was appointed by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas to the Homeland Security Advisory Council. Chen joins 32 other new members on the Council, the principal external advisory body to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

There is so much more to be done to protect immigrant victims of human trafficking and reform a system that puts too many people at risk for abuse. With a seat at the table, the anti trafficking field can help guide and inform public policy choices that can dramatically improve how this country supports immigrant victims of trafficking and keeps vulnerable people safe.

This toolkit provides an overview of the risks of labor trafficking inherent in the H-2A visa program and helps you understand how to protect your workers. By protecting your workers, you will also protect your business.