Economy
How the Crime of Labor Trafficking Helps Cities Run
A new report details who trafficked workers are—and which industries exploit them.
Ima Matul met the President Obama in 2012. It's something she never imagined doing when she was a teenager in Java, Indonesia. In 1997, a relative of the family she worked for approached her with an offer she couldn't refuse: a nannying position in Los Angeles.
It wasn't that much money—$150 a month—but it was more than she was getting paid in Java. Bonus? She wouldn't have to do any paperwork; the man who wanted to hire her said he would take care of the visa, passport, and tickets. All she had to do was say yes. So, she did.