Combatting Slavery in the Modern Era
By Paul and Carolyn Aijian
Combatting Slavery in the Modern Era
Recently, in the news, we were shocked to hear of Human Trafficking in our local area. Often described as modern-day slavery, it is a real issue in our home state of California. The reasons are complex, but we are especially vulnerable because we are a border state, and we have many ports of entry. Our agricultural and industrial economies make us particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
This crime involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to exploit individuals for labor or commercial sex, affecting men, women, and children, both here and abroad. Could this really be happening here in Santa Barbara?
Recently a local ICE operation was the focus of much press and discussion. A marijuana grow site in Oxnard and another in Carpinteria was brought into focus when an investigation turned into a national incident. On July 10, ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducted an operation at the Glass House grow sites in Santa Barbara and Ventura County. The raid resulted in the arrest of at least 361 undocumented individuals according to news reports. Sadly, there was one person, Jaime Garcia, who fell to his death in the chaos of the raid. We grieve for his family.
Overlooked and under-reported in the press, however, the Department of Homeland Security rescued 14 migrant children from potential exploitation, forced labor, and human trafficking. It is reported that 10 of these children were unaccompanied minors. The raid was done as a result of an abuse complaint made. Children, without parents, were allegedly sleeping in the hoop houses and working at the facility. This, if found to be true, means that we had human slavery going on right under our noses. The employees of such businesses must be 21 or older to work with cannabis, so it is doubly dubious: undocumented and underage. These minors may have also been denied schooling and basic rights, and probably subjected to psychological coercion or physical threats.
“America’s Future” Coming to Santa Barbara
Victims, often undocumented immigrants, may be coerced into working to repay inflated debts for smuggling, housing, or other costs. This form of slavery may involve tactics like document confiscation and threats of legal repercussions. The California Attorney General's office prioritizes combating these practices, but victims are often too worried to report them, and lack the language or understanding of their position to obtain help. The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-800-373-7888
There were disturbing arrests made, including those with significant previous criminal history. The focus of this article is not about the difficult Immigration issue, but about what we can do about modern-day slavery here in Santa Barbara.
How can we help?
What can we do?
How can we recognize this in our own area?
You could begin by supporting America's Future, a 501(c)(3) organization whose focus is on determining what we can do to end Child Trafficking and Exploitation. The group will be holding a week-end seminar on what we can do and how we can identify such trafficking and exploitation. Organizers will be bringing to Santa Barbara – this month – award-winning Investigative Journalist Lara Logan, General Michael Flynn (author of "Get in the Fight"), acclaimed filmmaker Mike Smith, who directed and produced "Out of the Shadows and Into the Light," and Mary Flynn O'Neill, Executive Director of America's Future.
Here in Santa Barbara, we (Paul and Carolyn Aijian) are hosting them for a fundraiser at our ranch, hoping to help to raise awareness and actually do something tangible to help. We welcome you to attend, meet those who are in the trenches, doing the work. We should not stand idly by and wonder what to do.
This is what you can do. Learn to identify such things, and rescue folks trapped in our own area. Please register for this event, as space is limited. Our event is Thursday night, August 21, and the seminar that follows is in Oxnard. Following this article is a flyer with details and a QR code to allow registration.
Please join us!
Thank you, Paul and Carolyn. I have been wondering why “racism” and “white privilege” are being used against police protection of children. People who angrily denounce ICE and want them and the police defunded should band together and fight the human trafficking themselves. I'd have way more respect for them if they did. Instead, they are actually siding with the traffickers and cartels. I can already hear people here shouting “That's not true! We are trying to protect innocent people and families from Trump's brutality!” To which I have this to say: you may think that's what you're doing, but you're acting like nothing more than worthless enablers of the worst possible crimes against humanity. If you see ways in which ICE and the police might be improved, that's fine. But respect the brave men and women who are doing what you can't do to help innocent people. Support ICE and the police first and foremost. And stop yakking about how we need to help immigrants come here to escape the enslavement of their countries. We need to clean up our own country. That's what America First means to me.
Thank you for helping in the fight against human trafficking. Another great organization that is helping local kids who have been sex trafficked is Olive Crest Hope Refuge. They have a school in the hills above Refugio beach near the Reagan Ranch that provides schooling and therapy for victims of sex trafficking. See https://www.olivecrest.org/santa-barbara/ for more information.