NZ Union Claims Trafficked Migrants Have Received Death Threats

According to a major union, victims of human trafficking in New Zealand and their families face severe threats of violence or death if they speak out about their situation.

First Union represents workers in various blue-collar industries such as forestry, manufacturing, and transportation, without specifying the specific sector where the affected individuals work.

All the victims are Filipinos, as stated by Union General Secretary Dennis Maga, who were lured to New Zealand with deceptive promises.

Initially offered employment opportunities, these migrants were coerced into paying the traffickers for the chance. After handing over the money, they are warned not to disclose their trafficking experience to anyone in New Zealand, under the threat of harm to themselves or their families.

“Their families back home are being threatened; that’s our understanding. Not only their families, but there’s also a risk of harm if they return home, possibly facing danger at the airport,” Maga explained.

This practice is escalating, with migrants from other Asian nations also falling victim to paying substantial amounts for non-existent jobs in New Zealand.

Desperate and Destitute

“We are currently uncovering numerous cases that involve a mix of migrant exploitation and human trafficking elements,” Maga remarked. “I believe some of these unscrupulous employers have become more sophisticated in their operations.”

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“Upon their arrival, they are confronted with a different work arrangement. Some of them are now in such desperate situations that they are contemplating suicide because they have liquidated their assets back home, believing the promised job was legitimate,” Maga added.

Many of these individuals sold everything they had in their home country to pay the traffickers, leaving them in dire circumstances.

“We are still persuading these individuals to come forward and officially lodge a complaint. Unfortunately, we cannot ensure their safety in their home country; our assistance is only available while they are in New Zealand,” Maga explained.

Immigration New Zealand disclosed that it had initiated 112 investigations in the past fiscal year involving potential cases of human trafficking.

Yet, according to Maga, some traffickers operate from overseas, evading arrest and prosecution in New Zealand. He also accused certain New Zealand employers of being complicit in these activities.

“These unethical employers have become more sophisticated in their operations, making it challenging for us to uncover their wrongdoings if we focus solely within New Zealand. We need to scrutinize the entire supply chain and determine the originating countries of these individuals,” he noted.

Steve Watson, the General Manager of Immigration New Zealand Compliance and Investigations, highlighted that the tactics described by the Union are commonly used by traffickers worldwide.

“These tactics include deceptive job advertisements, threats of violence, coercion, retention of passports, and threats not only to the individuals but also to their families both locally and abroad,” Watson stated.

“Moreover, there are threats to report them to Immigration New Zealand and have them deported if they report the offenders to authorities. The number of exploitation cases has been steadily increasing over the years, many exhibiting signs of trafficking or elements of human trafficking,” he added.

No Prosecutions, Despite Investigations

Out of the 112 investigations conducted for potential people trafficking, none led to prosecutions. Less than half are still under analysis.

Among the 59 concluded cases, 106 actions were taken.

“These actions include providing educational materials to employers, issuing formal warning letters, and suspending or revoking accreditation in four instances,” Watson elaborated. “The remaining cases either referred to partner agencies due to no immigration violations found, or lacked sufficient evidence.”

Some perpetrators faced charges unrelated to trafficking as complaints did not meet the legal criteria, or victims were unwilling to engage in the criminal justice process. Victims could be referred to the police for verification, granting them a visa and access to government services.

The 2024 United States Trafficking in Persons Report classified New Zealand as Tier 2, indicating partial compliance with the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act while making significant efforts to improve.

The report noted a decrease in trafficking investigations initiated by the NZ government and highlighted the absence of labor trafficking prosecutions for four consecutive years.

Maga expressed hope for the government to thoroughly investigate the recent trafficking cases and draft legislation to address modern slavery, similar to measures adopted in other migrant destination countries.

Typically, such laws enable authorities to hold employers accountable for migrant labor practices within their business and subcontractors.

“Without legislation like modern slavery laws, it will be challenging to eradicate this problem,” Maga emphasized.

The Labour government introduced legislation in 2023, but the Coalition announced that it is not a priority this year.

According to Walk Free, around 3,000 individuals in New Zealand were subjected to conditions constituting modern slavery in 2016.