Jaime, a Honduras native and undocumented immigrant, came to the United States alone almost 10 years ago to make a better life for himself in Florida. But he was forced to flee his home and start over after the sweeping anti-immigration bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis went into effect on July 1.
“I had to change jobs and move out of the state,” Jaime, who declined to provide his last name to protect his identity, told Newsweek through his attorney. He’s now living and working as a cook in North Carolina.
“The worst part is living separated from my family… financially, it is more difficult being away from them, but I don’t have any choice. I can’t risk being there and getting myself deported.”
Undocumented immigrants who remain in Florida are at greater risk of being exploited by their employers because of the new law, said Giulia Fantacci, a Florida-based attorney who works to help victims of human trafficking legalize their status.
In labor exploitation cases, employers “know that the worker is undocumented and so they will take advantage of their immigration status to then force them… to do certain types of work or additional work that’s not part of what they’re supposed to do,” Fantacci told Newsweek.
Read the full article: Ron DeSantis Raises Human Trafficking Risk in Florida
