I did everything right, everything legally. I got my work visa and a job through an online recruiter. I had worked in restaurants before, and I knew I could make good money in the States and send some back to my parents in Mexico, to help support my little brother and sister. I got my work visa and a job through an online recruiter. I had worked in restaurants before, and I knew I could make good money in the States and send some back to my parents in Mexico, to help support my little brother and sister. I’ve been here for months and haven’t been paid—none of us have. When I asked about pay they said I owed for housing. Then, I was threatened. They made it clear that they could hurt my family in Mexico. Traffickers often create an illusion of debt in order to never have to pay the employee for their labor. This is a system called “debt bondage”.

Traffickers threaten victims or their family members as a form of coercion to keep them in their trafficked situation.