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US Immigration
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Posted 04/28/2010 |
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(Page 2 of 4) |
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Filipino workers crammed in sleeping area and floor. |
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U.S. charges couple in scheme to hold Filipino workers in
forced labor
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According to the indictment from October 2007
through December 2007 that defendant Baldonado
would wake up Filipino workers in the middle of
the night and quiz them on table setup and drink
recipes, and scold them or make them stand in
the corner for answering incorrectly.
The charges also alleged that in the same period
defendants frequently shouted, banged on the
table, and demeaned the Filipino workers. That
between or about October 2007 through February
2008 at a meeting where some of the Filipino
workers were housed that workers complained to
defendant Baldonado that they had no food and
Baldonado became angry, threw a chair and kicked
a garbage can and screamed at a Filipina worker
demanding to know if she ate 3 meals a day in
the Philippines.
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ICE's Miami Office of Investigations Special
Agent in Charge Anthony V. Mangione said, "Human
traffickers target vulnerable victims, including
minors, who desire a better life and end up
being lured into a situation where they are
deprived of their basic human rights. These
vicious conditions will not be tolerated in this
country and ICE will continue its commitment to
rescue victims of this form of modern day
slavery and vigorously
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investigate, identify and arrest the traffickers that exploit them and
bring them to justice."
The charges also alleged that the defendants used false promises to
entice the Filipino nationals to incur debts to pay up-front recruitment
fees and then compelled the workers to remain in the defendants'
service, despite inadequate work or income to pay off the debts. Using a
scheme of threats to have the workers arrested and deported with no way
to repay their debts, the defendants also allegedly confiscated the
workers' passports and restricted their freedom of movement and
communications with outsiders.
Manuel is also charged with visa fraud and making false statements to
the government to procure foreign labor certifications and visas under
the H2B guest worker program.
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