The SAFE Center, on behalf of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force Labor Trafficking Committee, developed a statewide survey to gain a better sense of the presence of labor trafficking in Maryland to help develop priorities for state response and prevention efforts. As in other states and other countries, labor trafficking in Maryland remains significantly under-investigated and under-prosecuted, and state-level data on labor trafficking has been especially limited.

 

According to survey respondents, between January 1st, 2019-December 31st, 2023, survey respondents served 7,294 survivors of labor exploitation and 1,183 survivors of labor trafficking. Of the 1,183 labor trafficking survivors served in Maryland, 624 were trafficked in Maryland.  

 

Labor trafficking was reported as occurring most often in metropolitan areas of Maryland. Top counties included:

  • Montgomery County
  • Prince George’s County
  • Baltimore City
  • Howard County
  • Anne Arundel County
  • Baltimore County

 

As to type of labor trafficking, of the 624 survivors who were labor trafficked in Maryland, a significant number were reported to be child labor trafficking cases (21%) and other forced labor (37%).

 

The top sectors where labor trafficking reportedly occurred in Maryland between 2019-2023 are:

  • Domestic Work
  • Construction
  • Restaurants, Bars, and Food Services
  • Commercial Cleaning Services
  • Landscaping
  • Hotels and Hospitality

We do believe agriculture-based labor trafficking was underestimated and is therefore missing from this list of top sectors.

 

According to survey responses, about 20% of survivors trafficked in Maryland were under 18, and 17% were age 18-25, reflecting the known issue of trafficking risks for youth across the state.

 

13% of survivors were 26-35, and 16% were over age 35. For 24%, age was either reported as unknown or there was no response. 

 

Although 18% of respondents reported they do not track data about legal processes for each survivor in their database, 141 T-Visa applications were filed for the labor trafficking survivors reported, and about 60% of those filed were granted. 60% should not be viewed as a proxy for approval for the T-Visa, as it is likely that a number of the remaining applications were likely still pending.

 

Investigation and prosecution reports include:

  • 4 Federal Department of Labor Investigations
  • 1 Maryland Department of Labor Investigation
  • 7 Federal Criminal Investigations
  • 0 Federal or States Attorney’s Criminal Prosecutions

 

This statewide data collection is a first step towards understanding the labor trafficking seen in Maryland. Consistent and transparent data collection will continue to be critical for informing future resource allocation and decision making.