Eradicating modern slavery in the United States is a bipartisan responsibility
Following the re-election of the Donald Trump administration, prioritising action against forced labour and modern slavery is essential in the United States. Key sectors like agriculture, construction, and retail continue to exploit vulnerable workers, including migrants and children.
Forced labour remains a significant issue in the US, affecting industries that supply goods and services relied on globally.
Approximately 1.1 million people are estimated to be living in modern slavery in the US, including those subjected to forced labour and human trafficking.
Eradicating forced labour in the US is a bipartisan issue, which requires immediate legislative and systemic action.
In Donald Trump’s last term, anti-migrant policies and language put many people at higher risk of violence, extortion, kidnapping, and trafficking.
As President-elect, he has proposed using the National Guard to deport migrants and plans to use the Alien Enemies Act to deport people from certain countries. These actions could increase trafficking and forced labour risks for migrant communities.
He also pledged to end national programs that allowed some migrants legal entry. This could put more vulnerable people, including those at risk of trafficking, in danger.
With vulnerable populations at increased risk, all political leaders must work towards policies that prioritise human rights and protect against exploitation.
Why the US-Mexico border and vulnerable populations need stronger protections against exploitation and forced labour
The US-Mexico border, the world’s largest migration corridor, sees high numbers of migrants who face exploitation due to weak protections and insufficient legal pathways.
“Vulnerability to modern slavery in the US is driven by a lack of acceptance of migrants, racial and gender discrimination, poverty, and forced labour imposed by the state,” Walk Free’s Research and Policy Analyst Maria Collazos explains.
“The rise in child labour violations and the continued prevalence of prison labour underscores the urgent need for unified efforts across party lines. This is essential to protect vulnerable populations from forced labour.
“Leaders across political lines have a responsibility to protect vulnerable individuals from exploitation. By implementing strong protections and prioritising human rights, the US can take meaningful steps toward eradicating modern slavery and forced labour.”
Key modern slavery stats in the US highlight labour and child trafficking risks
The National Human Trafficking Hotline received over 1,558 reports of potential labour trafficking cases in 2023. This includes sectors like agriculture, construction, retail, hospitality, and domestic work.
An additional 1,021 cases involved both labour and sexual exploitation. This predominantly affected foreign nationals, who make up more than half of the victims identified in labour trafficking cases.
The US Department of Labor reported 1,691 cases of child labour violations affecting over 10,000 minors between October 2022 and September 2024. Over 800 of these cases involve hazardous work conditions.
Migrants are disproportionately vulnerable to exploitation
Migrants are 3 times more likely to experience modern slavery than non-migrants. They are particularly vulnerable to forced labour in the US, especially unaccompanied children entering through the US-Mexico border.
During Biden’s administration, over 2.5 million people were detained or deported by US border authorities from October 2022 to September 2023. More than 137,000 unaccompanied minors were detained or denied entry.
These children are often fleeing conflict, violence, and poverty. Yet they face significant risks of exploitation and forced labour when they arrive in the US.
Migrants without a defined legal status face heightened vulnerability to exploitation, violence, and forced labour.
Children, particularly from Latin America, are often tricked by traffickers with false promises of education and safety and coerced into exploitative work.
Returning migrants to their home countries often places them in dangerous situations, further increasing the risks of forced labour.
Prison labour in the US raises human rights concerns
The US prison system presents additional concerns about forced labour, as it has the world’s highest incarceration rate on record.
Although many believe slavery ended with the Civil War, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution included an exception that allowed slavery and involuntary servitude as punishment for a crime.
People continue to be forced into low or unpaid labour due to this exception, which incentivises mass incarceration.
Labour laws in the US exclude prisoners from protections against forced labour. As a result, prison work programs lack sufficient oversight.
Private detention facilities and prisons often compel detainees to work under threat of punishment without adequate compensation or protection.
People of colour are disproportionately impacted. They represent a majority of the US prison population, in part due to historical over-policing and systemic discrimination.
Recently, campaigns to remove prison labour exceptions from state constitutions had mixed success.
Nevada’s measure passed, while California’s Prop 6, which would have protected incarcerated people from forced labour, failed to get enough support from voters.
The push to eliminate the exception began to gain traction in 2018. Colorado, Utah, Nebraska, Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, and Vermont have all removed this language from their constitutions.
How can the new government take action on modern slavery in the United States?
The incoming administration must prioritise policies that combat forced labour and protect at-risk populations. This includes:
- Strengthening protections at the US-Mexico border and ensuring asylum seekers have legal representation.
- Improve screening for indicators of modern slavery among vulnerable populations, including migrants and asylum seekers, and ensure unaccompanied children are referred to support services.
- Expanding labour protections for vulnerable populations, including migrant workers and children.
- Eradicating modern slavery in the economy with mandatory due diligence and bans on forced labour-linked investments.
- Enforcing laws like the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights and Combating Child Labour Act.
- Ending state-imposed forced labour in prisons by amending enabling legislation.
