September 24, 2020
Justice is possible! California judge condemns recruiter for charging illegal fees.
Days ago, the new agency EFE published an article about a sentence that employer and recruiter Jorge Vásquez received after charging workers illegal recruitment fees in exchange for employment with temporary H-2A visas.
Jorge Vásquez worked for the companies H-2A Placement Services and J&D Harvesting, which belong to Melquiades Jacinto Lara, who would also lure agricultural workers with false promises and would charge high fees for employment offers. He would also charge fees for housing, food, and transportation, while deducting illegal fees from workers’ paychecks. According to the article, those involved had been charging agricultural workers illegal fees as high as $3,000 dollars since 2012.
Judge Josephine L. Staton from the state of California sentenced Jorge Vázquez to 12 months in prison in addition to making him pay 135,389 dollars in restitution to the victims.
Ricardo Mendoza Oseguera, owner of the Mi Pueblito shop, is also awaiting trial and sentencing after the migrant workers were made to purchase their goods exclusively in this store.
Making visible these types of human labor rights abuses and violations against migrant workers is not possible unless workers raise their voices. Often, workers do not report these types of actions for fear of suffering retaliation. Nevertheless, there are organizations, lawyers and other allies who are willing to work together with men and women workers to fight for their rights and advance their power and strength so that their voices can be heard and they can access justice.
We know that the processes take time, but there are examples like this one where justice is served!