Diocesan Resources
Reforming Foreign Labor Recruitment: Eliminating Exploitation (2014)
Reforming Foreign Labor Recruitment: Eliminating Exploitation
Internationally recruited workers come to the United States to work in the high and low wage sectors of the US economy. Foreign labor recruiters are increasingly relied upon to facilitate the migration of laborers from their respective home countries to their destination country. They normally operate in the workers’ home country and interface with individuals who desire to work in the US and other labor destination countries. While many foreign labor recruiters behave ethically and are engaged in lawful conduct, a growing percentage are often complicit with, or directly involved in, trafficking of workers.
The right to work is an extremely important value reflected in Catholic social teaching and Scripture. The Catholic faith views work and meaningful employment as more than merely a way to make a living; it is instead a form of continuing participation in God’s creation. Accordingly, the Church’s social teachings state that if the dignity of work is to be protected, then the basic rights of workers must be respected--the right to productive work, to decent and fair wages, to the organization and joining of unions, to private property, and to economic initiative. This respect for the dignity of work and the right to work in safe and dignified conditions finds inspiration both in the Bible and in Papal teaching.
USCCB, through its Migration and Refugee Services (MRS) Anti-Trafficking and Policy offices attempt to address foreign labor recruitment abuse through grass-roots advocacy and outreach and legislative advocacy. MRS Anti-Trafficking has created a created a cutting-edge program to educate immigrant leaders in the fight against human trafficking within communities that are frequently vulnerable to trafficking and exploitation: the Amistad program. This initiative aims to engage recent immigrant communities who are vulnerable to trafficking, exploitation, and slavery within agricultural, domestic, hospitality, and service work.