| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jimena de Haro jimenad@cdmigrante.org The structure of guestworker programs facilitates worker abuse and human trafficking. Migration that Works applauds the introduction by Representative Pocan of an amendment to the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services and Educations appropriations bill for FY 2027 that would bar employers convicted of a human trafficking offense or held liable for trafficking from ever hiring migrant workers through guestworker programs. At a time when Congress continues its reckless attempts to expand guestworker programs without strengthening worker protections, Rep. Pocan’s amendment stands out as an important effort to bring accountability to these programs. The amendment brings much-needed attention to the horrifying abuse faced by migrant workers due to the flaws embedded within these programs, starting with the fact that visas are tied to specific employers, effectively restricting workers’ freedom to leave abusive workplaces. The abuse runs deep in guestworker programs. While barring convicted human traffickers from hiring guestworkers is a step in the right direction, programs that are this fundamentally flawed need to be completely overhauled. We need an alternative model for labor migration that prioritizes worker freedom, rights, and worker agency. ***** Migration that Works is a coalition of labor, migration, civil rights, anti-trafficking organizations and academics advancing a labor migration model that respects the human rights of workers, families and communities and reflects their voices and experiences. Founded in 2011 as the International Labor Recruitment Working Group (ILRWG), Migration that Works is the first coordinated effort to strategically address worker rights abuses across industries and visa categories. MigrationthatWorks.org. |
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