Full Breakdown
Federal Indictments for Forced Labor in Agricultural Sector
2/25/2026, 1:26:29 AM
Allegations of Human Trafficking and Forced Labor
A federal grand jury has indicted three Mexican nationals—Martha Zeferino Jose, 42, her partner, and their son Jeremy Zeferino Jose, 23—on 35 criminal counts related to human trafficking and forced labor. The indictment, announced by the Department of Justice (DOJ), alleges that the trio exploited the H-2A agricultural visa program to lure vulnerable Mexican workers to the United States under false pretenses. They operated a farm labor contracting business named Las Princesas Corporation from Washington, North Carolina, and are accused of trapping these workers on farms and nurseries across Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida between August 2021 and July 2022.
Mechanisms of Exploitation
According to the indictment, the defendants misled the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services by falsely pledging compliance with wage, housing, and labor requirements. Instead, they allegedly imposed steep fees on workers before their arrival in the U.S., confiscated their identity documents upon arrival, and subjected them to inhumane working conditions. Workers reportedly endured long shifts without adequate breaks or water, lived in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions, and lacked sufficient food and medical care. The indictment also claims that the defendants restricted workers' movements, threatened them with arrest and deportation, and coached them to lie to investigators during a Department of Labor inquiry.
Legal Consequences and Broader Implications
The charges against the Zeferino Joses include forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, alien harboring for profit, and document servitude. Each forced labor count carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. In a related case, a federal court approved a settlement in December 2025 that awarded nearly $215,000 to 366 H-2A workers, and Las Princesas was banned from employing agricultural laborers for three years. U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle for the Eastern District of North Carolina emphasized the commitment to eradicating illegal immigration and human trafficking, stating, “We do not tolerate abuse of the system to hurt unsuspecting victims of human trafficking.”
Criticism and Opposition
While the DOJ's actions have been praised for addressing human trafficking, some critics argue that the H-2A visa program itself may need reform to prevent such abuses. They contend that the current system can create vulnerabilities for workers, making them susceptible to exploitation by unscrupulous employers.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Three individuals have been indicted for exploiting the H-2A visa program to lure vulnerable workers from Mexico to the United States with promises of legitimate employment, only to then confiscate their identity documents and force them to labor in inhumane conditions,” — A. Tysen Duva, Assistant Attorney General
- “We will find and eradicate any illegal immigration we find here in the EDNC,” — Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina
This case highlights significant concerns regarding the treatment of migrant workers in the agricultural sector and raises questions about the effectiveness of existing labor protections.
