Slavery exists everywhere | Deseret News

Slavery exists everywhere | Deseret News9 comments PRINT | FONT + -
As much as Americans may be surprised to hear it, slavery did not end in this country with the Civil War and the emancipation proclamation. It continues, and it exists even in Utah.

A recent front-page story in the Deseret News documented how several workers from Thailand were allegedly recruited to come to the United States, and eventually to farms in Utah, with the promise of huge paychecks. The workers say they were forced to pay exorbitant "recruitment fees" up front, which required them to borrow large sums of money and put up their meager land holdings, and those of other family members, as collateral. Some of the loans had interest rates as high as 792 percent.

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Deseret News archives
Three Thai workers who were victims of human trafficking in Utah are now free, thanks to help from Utah Legal Services.
From the archive
Karol C. Boudreaux: Human trafficking preys on the poor: The need for economic emancipation – Feb. 13, 2011
Utah church helps free victims of human trafficking – Jan. 14, 2011
Human trafficking a worldwide problem – Oct. 29, 2010
A story of modern slavery in Utah – Aug. 15, 2010
In our opinion: The modern slavery problem – June 27, 2010
Once here, the workers said they had their passports confiscated and were denied their freedom. The company that recruited them, Global Horizons, eventually stopped paying them, the workers said. Soon, family members back home were in danger of losing their farms. Because the workers here had no passports and did not speak English, they had little chance to escape. Food was scarce and living conditions deplorable.

The Utah workers were lucky enough to catch the attention of Utah Legal Services, a nonprofit organization. They are free now, and their story has been validated by the fact the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has granted them "T visas," which are given to victims of human trafficking, and by the fact the U.S. Justice Department has opened an investigation of Global Horizons.

In recent years, we have tried to bring attention to the spread of modern slavery, both in the United States and abroad. Some may feel the story the Thai workers tell doesn't qualify as true slavery because they were paid some money in return for the work they performed; but they had no freedom, the money was not as much as promised, and they say they were subjected to constant threats to their family members at home.

But this case is only one aspect of the problem. An estimated 30 million people worldwide are subject to some form of slavery. Some, including children, are forced into prostitution. Others labor hard for little or no pay and are not free to leave. In the United States, some people have been arrested for keeping foreign housekeepers without paying them. The U.S. State Department has said child trafficking is so well-hidden that authorities in the United States and Europe have no idea how many child maids live in the West.

Slavery is illegal everywhere in the world, and yet it persists. Last year, the United States convicted 47 people of human trafficking, but many countries do not take the crime seriously. And, of course, the victims almost always are voiceless and helpless.

Washington has done more than most countries to bring attention to this problem, but more must be done. The Obama administration needs to make this a priority. As the case of the Thais in Utah demonstrates, the problem can exist anywhere.

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Question | 7:33 a.m. Aug. 23, 2010
As long as they're here doing the jobs Americans WON'T do.... Who cares? Right?

At least that seems to be the position of America's Liberal-Left now days.

They can change our beds, clean our toilets, watch our kids, pick fruit and dig coal, even prostitution, for slave wages... but if they try to step out of line and try to get State/Fed-benefits or get better jobs.... Only THEN does it become a problem worth getting our government to do their duty. Only THEN do we want the government, police, etc, to do their job.

Till then... enforcing our law should be totally optional.



That's "Compassion"?

Enableing people being here under the legal-raidar, against the law, so human-trafficers and illegal-employers can work together to take advantage of them, only pay them slave-wages, till they pay their bills to their human smugglers... (if they pay them at all, some just take advantage of them).

That's compassion?
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LDS | 11:08 a.m. Aug. 23, 2010
to Compassion:
No, it's not OK to mistreat, underpay or intimidate undocumented immigrants. Many of these good people are refugees from impoverished areas with little opportunity. They arrive here with hope, much like the East Germans, early pioneers from the east, South Koreans, Haitians, etc.

As Christians, we are obligated to treat them with true compassion. Not judgement or prideful disdain. But as brothers and sisters deserving the freedoms and opportunities almost all of us were born with.

They are fearful they will be deported. As time passes they become even more fearful that their families will be torn apart. Fortunately, our government has largely let them become contributing members of American society.

It is our place to love them, accommodate them, provide for them if we can. Treat them as we would have them treat us.
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2 bits | 3:42 p.m. Aug. 23, 2010
I love when people get on here and tell you what you "gotta do".... because your Christian.

It carries extra weight if they use "LDS" in their screen name.

Gimme a break!

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Anti Bush-Obama | 3:56 p.m. Aug. 23, 2010
Slavery exists in the mind also. Anybody who doesn't believe 9/11 was an inside job, doesn't believe that wallstreet is rigged like a vegas slot machine that literally engineers depressions that make the elite super rich, doesn't believe we are living under martial law, doesn't believe that rays omitted by the sun is what is really causing global warming and not overpopulation,doesn't believe that the carbon tax is made to be totally oppressive, doesn't believe that the power in the world doesn't end with the president of the united states, are really going to be in a lot of trouble and their hearts will fail them.
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justducky | 10:12 p.m. Aug. 23, 2010
This is the perfect example of why we do NOT need a 'Guest Worker' program in Utah. It would just be one more magnet to lure foreigners to our state so unethical and immoral employers can take advantage of their temporary worker status. It just doesn't make any sense when we have such a high unemployment rate.
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LuVePacifica | 11:37 p.m. Aug. 23, 2010
over and over again====this needs to reviewed more carefully ..its not no ones fault actually its hunger poverty survival living America were still in depth-when is it going to change?

Do we need another president that keeps his words we will see when elections time of poll votes
with a donkey/elephant
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anti-liar | 11:45 p.m. Aug. 23, 2010
@LDS "But as brothers and sisters deserving the freedoms and opportunities almost all of us were born with...It is our place to love them [illegals], accommodate them, provide for them if we can."


But pay them a full wage? NOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Yes, the Spirit of Slavery is very much alive in the State of Utah.
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Not_Scared | 12:16 a.m. Aug. 24, 2010
"As long as they're here doing the jobs Americans WON'T do.... Who cares? Right?"

I, as a liberal whose is analytical trained not to act on emotion, I do care. This is why I'm pointed out that for each dollar we spend on immigration the greatest returns comes from workplace enforcement.

Why do conservatives believe we all have the same values?


(I agree. I probably look "liberal" but am no affiliation in my own mind, except human. i am all for workforce enforcement for exactly the same reason, and no guest worker programs, either. They exploit.)