Justice probing claim of being chained in. (Slavery in Florida)

[Nlighten1]

The U.S. Justice Department has begun to investigate a new case of slavery in Florida involving a group of undocumented Mexican farmworkers who say they were forcibly detained and threatened with violence by labor contractors.

The facts of the case were first made public in an article in The Palm Beach Post Dec. 7, part of the newspaper's recent series, Modern-Day Slavery.

In that article, a 28-year-old Mexican man said that on more than one occasion in late 2002, he and other migrant tomato pickers were locked inside a trailer in the town of Wimauma, in Hillsborough County, by a family of farm labor contractors who claimed the workers owed them money. Those alleged debts were smuggling fees the workers incurred while being transported clandestinely into the U.S. from Mexico.

The man, who used the alias Jose Moreno, claimed he and the other laborers had to work off those debts before they could change jobs, were chained in the trailer at times and threatened with violence if they tried to leave. Such actions violate anti-slavery laws.

[ClintonTyree]

1. Welcome to Jeb's Florida..................

he's cut so many programs that they aren't able to police these agriterrorists down here. Some day, oh some day, I hope these swine get what they deserve, Jeb included.

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. "Land of the Free" ? - oh ok - the "free" can have slaves ! !

. . Looking for corroboration

One of the attorneys was identified as Susan French, who has been active in previous cases of slavery and indentured servitude in Florida. Federal courts have convicted several Florida labor contractors in such cases during the past six years. The latest trial was in 2002 when two contractors were sentenced to 12 years and another to 10 years for an incident in the central Florida town of Lake Placid

/snip/

"Moreno told The Post that, in early October 2002, he was smuggled through the Sonora Desert into Arizona by a man who, along with several of his brothers, operates as both a people-moving "coyote" and farm labor contractor. Moreno said he and others brought to the U.S. with him were promised tomato picking work in and around Wimauma, work that paid well and would allow them to rapidly pay off hundreds of dollars in smuggling fees.

But he said the work was sparse and scarcely paid during the first weeks after they arrived in Florida. He said the contractors, afraid the workers would try to escape, began to guard them at all times and, on some occasions when no guard was available, locked them in a trailer that was secured with a thick chain, a padlock and windows that were nailed so that no one could get out."

/snip/



I am amazed that this still goes on in America, sadly. . , not suprized tho -

(sigh)

[mbperrin]

3. It's Florida!

What's your point?

Although I'm glad it's labeled - could just as easily have been Texas!

[Nevernose]

4. I've worked with many "mojados"

Also known as "wet-backs." For the most part, they were treated decently, depending upon who was employing them. What kept them "in line" and working 16 hours a day for minimum wage was fear of their "coyote."

This is a terrible thing talked about in the article, but the psychic chains put around their necks by the coyote and INS is a far worse thing -- and far more widespread than most people realize.

[Cocoa]

6. you talk about it as if it's not related

Do you think these people would try this slavery stuff on these people if they weren't vulerable, for the reasons you describe.

It's the same, this slavery and other abuses goes hand in hand with fear of being kicked out of the country.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Here's a story about the series from the Palm Beach Post:

Justice probing claim of being chained in

By John Lantigua, Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Sunday, December 21, 2003



The U.S. Justice Department has begun to investigate a new case of slavery in Florida involving a group of undocumented Mexican farmworkers who say they were forcibly detained and threatened with violence by labor contractors.

The facts of the case were first made public in an article in The Palm Beach Post Dec. 7, part of the newspaper's recent series, Modern-Day Slavery.

In that article, a 28-year-old Mexican man said that on more than one occasion in late 2002, he and other migrant tomato pickers were locked inside a trailer in the town of Wimauma, in Hillsborough County, by a family of farm labor contractors who claimed the workers owed them money. Those alleged debts were smuggling fees the workers incurred while being transported clandestinely into the U.S. from Mexico.

The man, who used the alias Jose Moreno, claimed he and the other laborers had to work off those debts before they could change jobs, were chained in the trailer at times and threatened with violence if they tried to leave. Such actions violate anti-slavery laws.
(snip/...)

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/sunday/news_f35e42e03786009e004f.html

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Cuban "exiles," the Fanjuls who own sugar cane plantations in South Florida got in trouble with the government for their loathesome, barbaric working conditions into which were thrown desperately poor laborers from the Caribbean islands, just like the set-up they (Fanjuls) had back in Cuba, before the revolution.

They and those like them serve as proof that some "human beings" will do absolute filth to their fellow man if the law can't, or won't prevent them.

South Florida is a magnate for these people.