Presenting at a Human Trafficking Conference Next Week and other thoughts on HT

So, I am doing this event next week at Catholic University and I am super excited about it because it's one of the few I get to do specifically for social workers. I am going to be discussing some common perceptions about immigration, trafficking, and migration, as well as covering some best practices for the immigrant survivor population. I only have one hour so I won't get to dig into the context as much as I want to, but I am going to be providing some handouts with additional resources, particularly the NASW code of ethics which requires us to be advocates against immigration enforcement measures that harm families, as well as some guidelines for cultural competency.

One of my challenges in agreeing to lead this workshop will be to navigate the tension between the broad knowledge base of the DC human trafficking task force around issues of commercial sexual exploitation of minors, and the concurrent lack of knowledge around issues of trafficking for other purposes- particularly for labor in those industries that are saturated with immigrant workers. While the discussions are sometimes frustrating, occasionally opportunities come up for this sector to be highlighted, like this conference . I was so heartened today when the chair of the task force re-affirmed his commitment to my particular workshop and even suggested the overall panel be extended so the "captive audience" could hear my 5 minute overview before breaking out for workshops.

The icing on the (Valentine's) cake was a presentation by one of the chief DOL Wage and Hour folks who visited the task force today and shared the WHD approach to investigations and explained the scope of their authority. I was disappointed that the conversation slanted toward child peddling at the end given the enormity of the problems in restaurants and domestic servitude, but having already asked a pointed question about collaboration with MPD vice detectives, I felt like asking another question would be exasperating to the rest of the group. If the group were more mixed, or we had more time, I think would have asked how they investigate domestic worker cases- given that one of the strengths of DOL investigations is that they can enter any workplace without a warrant under the authority of the Fair Labor Standards Act, but this coverage doesn't apply to private households. In fact, I would still love to ask someone from DOL to explain how they provide those workers with equal investigatory protection given this limitation... but that's for another day.

Next week I will be excited to present some new materials/slides with this small audience and see how some of it plays out. I also made the decision to try and reciprocate the warm welcome I received from the chair of the task force (who is an Assistant US Attorney) and try to actually show up to future meetings rather than sending my intern in my place. If he wants more labor representation, and I want more labor representation, then it appears that I need to step up and play that role.