CMS Testifies on Labor Trafficking

On Friday, February 27, 2015, the New York City Council’s Committee on Immigration held a hearing on labor trafficking in the domestic worker industry. Alice Davis, staff attorney in the Immigrant Workers’ Rights Program, testified on the need for adequate training the law enforcement agencies that are most likely to encounter victims of trafficking, to create uniform policies for interviewing victims, and clarifying the role of advocates during investigations.

A recent study by Hoftstra University found that there are over 11,000 victims of human trafficking in New York alone. Yet, since 2007, only 37 victims have been confirmed by New York law enforcement agencies to receive emergency assistance and other benefits. Based on this discrepancy, Council Member Menchaca, Chair of the Committee on Immigration, stated that, “It is clear that more needs to be done to improve the lives of labor trafficking victims.”

The Immigrant Workers’ Rights Program assists victims of labor trafficking by representing them in civil litigation for wage violations and other claims arising out of their employment, as well as assisting them in applications for T visas.

For more information on the Immigrant Workers’ Rights Program please click here.