top of page

Natural Disasters and Human Trafficking in the U.S.

Human Rights Research Center

January 15, 2025


Introduction


Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common and more catastrophic around the world. The Southeastern United States is particularly prone to hurricanes and tropical storms. Due to global warming, these hurricanes have become larger and more destructive. Not only do these severe weather events cause loss of life, failure of infrastructure, and millions in damages, they also contribute to increased rates of human trafficking. This article will dive into the increase of human trafficking in the United States due to hurricanes specifically. The destruction of homes and limited access to critical resources experienced during a severe hurricane can increase an individual’s risk of being trafficked, especially migrants and immigrants.


Background Information


While hurricanes in the Southeastern region of the United States have always been common, global warming and climate change are causing hurricanes to become stronger and more destructive due to warmer ocean temperatures (Waldholz and Hurt, 2024). Recently, two devastating hurricanes slammed into the Southeastern region. In September 2024, Hurricane Helene left catastrophic damage after passing through North Carolina. Hurricane Milton followed less than two weeks later, affecting already damaged areas in the Southeastern United States. Furthermore, hurricanes are beginning to reach unprepared and ill-equipped areas in the United States; for example, Hurricane Sandy devastated the Northeastern region of the United States in 2012, traveling further North, a somewhat unusual path for a hurricane to take. The warming of ocean temperatures has allowed for hurricanes to travel farther north than previously recorded. 


With the increased severity in hurricane intensity comes increased human trafficking. There are several factors that explain this correlation, such as the costs of reconstruction, reallocation of law enforcement, and increased risk of vulnerability of victims due to the loss of resources and homes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office for Coastal Management (2024) found that of the $363 billion in damages caused by weather disasters in the United States since 1980 (as of August 2023), hurricanes have caused the most damage, with over $1.3 trillion total and an average cost of $22.8 billion per event. Limited resources, competing demands in reconstruction efforts, and restricted communication only further impede anti-trafficking attempts. These efforts are usually delegated to law enforcement agencies; however, during a natural disaster such as a hurricane, this system is disrupted, and the main priorities become rescue and emergency aid (RTI, 2023). The destruction generated by a hurricane also destroys homes and the economic security of potential trafficking victims. This state of vulnerability makes them preferred targets for human traffickers. 


Data


Preventing human trafficking is already incredibly difficult, even more so after a destructive hurricane due to lack of available resources and resulting damage to infrastructure. Past hurricanes can provide insight on the after effects of these natural disasters. One of the more common forms of human trafficking after a hurricane is labor trafficking and exploitation, specifically during the reconstruction phases of cities and towns. Polaris (2017) reports that one of the largest labor trafficking cases in United States history resulted from human trafficking that occurred in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. There were close to 3,750 people identified as potential victims of human trafficking (most cases were labor trafficking) into the Gulf Coast region in the post-Katrina period (Hepburn, 2016). Immigrants and migrant workers are some of the most susceptible groups to be trafficked in these instances. Most of the victims trafficked during this time were brought into cities affected by hurricanes and usually forced to work on reconstruction efforts, rather than trafficking already existing residents. 


The most notable case of human trafficking after a natural disaster came directly after Hurricane Katrina. Hundreds of construction workers, mostly welders and pipefitters, were recruited from India to come to the Gulf Coast to repair oil rigs after the hurricane. The workers were asked to pay a sum of $20,000 in exchange for jobs and green cards for themselves and their families in the United States (Southern Poverty Law Center, 2015). However, once these workers arrived, they were issued temporary H-2B visas that bound them to a single employer for whom they were forced to work round-the-clock shifts and live in squalid work camps (Davies, 2023). The men eventually escaped after months of planning, and after years of hardship, they were granted a court date. In 2015, a federal jury granted $14 million in compensatory and punitive damages to five Indian workers (Southern Poverty Law Center, 2015). The jury found that the five men were defrauded and exploited in a labor trafficking scheme by the Gulf Coast Marine Services Company (Signal International); Malvern C. Burnett, an immigration lawyer; and Sachin Dewan, an Indian labor recruiter. The jury ruled that these three parties engaged in labor trafficking, fraud, racketeering, and discrimination (Southern Poverty Law Center, 2015). Furthermore, it is estimated that Signal International saved $8 million in costs by paying workers illegally low wages and employing deceptive recruitment practices (Thomson Reuters Institute, 2024). Several other similar lawsuits were brought against the three parties. Later that year, a $20 million settlement was reached to resolve numerous labor trafficking lawsuits against Signal International (Southern Poverty Law Center, 2015a). The company has since filed for bankruptcy protection. 


More recently, a study has shown that trafficking rates have increased in North Carolina due to Hurricane Helene. Prior to being affected by Hurricane Helene, the state was already considered a hotbed for human trafficking due to its proximity to interstate highways and a large agriculture industry (Vespa, 2024). Police authorities in Western North Carolina monitoring the rise of human trafficking found that criminal cartels have been trying to recruit and find victims since Hurricane Helene passed through the area.


Conclusion


The instability that natural disasters such as hurricanes bring not only damages infrastructure and resources but also increases human trafficking. Immigrants and migrants are the most vulnerable to human and labor trafficking during the reconstruction period of cities affected by hurricanes. The creation of a county-level task force dedicated to the prevention of human trafficking during a natural disaster may help as more traditional agencies and law enforcement are overwhelmed with other tasks such as aid and rescue. Additionally, bringing attention to the issue of human trafficking after a natural disaster is important, as many people are unaware of the increased risk of trafficking in these situations. As global warming and climate change continue to worsen, further studies should focus on the effects that natural disasters have on human trafficking. 



 

Glossary 


  • Bankruptcy- The inability to pay your debts, or a particular example of this, involving the sale of your property or some other arrangement to pay as much as possible of the money you owe. 

  • Compensatory- Given or paid to someone in exchange for something that has been lost or damaged, or to pay for something that has been done. 

  • Correlation- A connection or relationship between two or more facts, numbers, etc.

  • Deceptive- The act of hiding the truth, especially to get an advantage.

  • Exploitation- The use of something in order to get an advantage from it. 

  • Fraud- The crime of getting money by deceiving people.

  • Global Warming- A gradual increase in world temperatures caused by gases such as carbon dioxide that are collecting in the air around the earth and stopping heat escaping into space.

  • Human trafficking- “Trafficking in persons,” “human trafficking,” and “modern slavery” are umbrella terms – often used interchangeably – to refer to a crime whereby traffickers exploit and profit at the expense of adults or children by compelling them to perform labor or engage in commercial sex. 

  • Immigrants- A person who has come to a different country in order to live there permanently. 

  • Impede- To make it more difficult for something to happen or more difficult for someone to do something.

  • Infrastructure- The basic systems and services, such as transportation and power supplies, that a country or organization uses in order to work effectively.

  • Migrants- A person that travels to a different country or place, often in order to find work.

  • Punitive- Intended as a punishment. 

  • Racketeering- The act or practice of making money through dishonest or illegal activities. 

  • Squalid- (of places) Extremely dirty and unpleasant, often because of lack of money.

  • Susceptible- easily influenced or harmed by something. 


 

Sources


  1. Davies, D. (2023). Sold an american dream, these workers from India wound up living a nightmare. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2023/01/23/1150684455/human-trafficking-katrina-india-great-escape-saket-soni 

  2. Hepburn, S. (2016). Aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and rita. Borderline Slavery, 197–218. doi:10.4324/9781315569727-12 

  3. NOAA Office for Coastal Management. (2024). Hurricane costs. Retrieved from https://coast.noaa.gov/states/fast-facts/hurricane-costs.html#:~:text=Of%20the%20363%20billion%2Ddollar,of%20deaths%3A%206%2C890%20since%201980

  4. Polaris. (2017). Natural disasters and the increased risk for human trafficking. Retrieved from https://polarisproject.org/blog/2017/09/natural-disasters-and-the-increased-risk-for-human-trafficking/ 

  5. RTI. (2023). Human trafficking in the wake of natural disasters. Retrieved from https://www.rti.org/impact/human-trafficking-wake-natural-disasters 

  6. Southern Poverty Law Center. (2015). Federal jury in SPLC case awards $14 million to Indian guest workers victimized in labor trafficking scheme by Signal International and its agents. Retrieved from https://www.splcenter.org/news/2015/02/18/federal-jury-splc-case-awards-14-million-indian-guest-workers-victimized-labor-trafficking 

  7. Southern Poverty Law Center. (2015a). $20 million settlement agreement reached in Labor Trafficking Cases coordinated by SPLC on behalf of exploited Indian guest workers. Retrieved from https://www.splcenter.org/news/2015/07/14/20-million-settlement-agreement-reached-labor-trafficking-cases-coordinated-splc-behalf 

  8. Thomson Reuters Institute. (2024). Retrieved from https://www.thomsonreuters.com/content/dam/ewp-m/documents/thomsonreuters/en/thomson-reuters-institute/emergency-management/post-disaster-human-trafficking-risks.pdf 

  9. Waldholz, R., & Hurt, A. (2024). Are hurricanes getting worse? Here's what you need to know. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2024/10/08/nx-s1-5143320/hurricanes-climate-change 

  10. Vespa, E. (2024). Human trafficking risk has been rising in western North Carolina since helene. Retrieved from https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2024/11/15/human-trafficking-rising-in-western-nc-helene/ 


© 2021 HRRC

​​Call us:

703-987-6176

​Find us: 

2000 Duke Street, Suite 300

Alexandria, VA 22314, USA

Tax exempt 501(c)(3)

EIN: 87-1306523

bottom of page