Call to Action Text Field
Did you know that the 13th Amendment did not entirely abolish slavery in the United States? There was an exception left in the Constitution: Unpaid prison labor. Unscrupulous corporations and governments have used this exception to plug holes in their budgets and turn profits for decades. This is trafficking, and it is not acceptable in modern-day society.
Voters in Utah, Nebraska, and Colorado have already voted to remove language from their state constitutions that allows for slavery or involuntary servitude through the use of forced prison labor. It’s time to do the same with the U.S. Constitution. Tell your elected representatives that human trafficking has no place in our democracy.
Taking forced prison labor out of the U.S. Constitution doesn’t mean abolishing prison labor altogether. Many incarcerated people want the opportunity to learn new skills, earn money, and contribute to the economy. But the current system of forcing people to work for little or no pay, often in dangerous or unhealthy conditions, does not make our streets safer. It does, however, create a profit motive for sending people to prison, which has in turn led to the devastating mass incarceration of both U.S. citizens and immigrants.
Bottom line: There is no public safety argument for allowing human trafficking in our detention centers and prisons. Please tell your leaders: It is time to remove the exception to the 13th Amendment that allows for slavery and involuntary servitude.