Charges Against Haitian Immigrants for Forced Labor
Two Haitian immigrants based in Tigard, Oregon, are facing serious allegations of forcing their relatives to work in harsh conditions at an adult daycare center.
The US Department of Justice has announced that Marie Gertrude Jean Valmont, 67, and her daughter Yolandita Marie André, 31, have been indicted on forced labor charges. This situation involves three Haitian individuals who were brought to the US to work at a fraudulent home childcare business.
Among these three individuals, one was a teenager, and all of them eventually returned to Haiti. Prosecutors claim that they were made to work 17-hour shifts for just $2 a day, with living conditions that included sleeping on the living room floor of Valmont’s home. Allegations state that Valmont threatened them regularly with deportation and took away their legal and identification documents.
If convicted, the two could face up to two decades in federal prison for each charge related to human trafficking.
Beyond the forced labor accusations, federal prosecutors allege they also deceived the Oregon Department of Human Services and Medicaid by claiming that they needed to compensate more hours for employees caring for foster residents with special needs. Instead of paying the three individuals a just wage, the defendants allegedly pocketed the funds received from both ODHS and Medicare.
Additionally, Valmont and André have been charged with neglecting a patient in a state-licensed adult daycare center in December 2022. Reports indicate that at least one patient experienced neglect, which included issues like dementia, a broken hip from a fall, bedsores, and mistreatment. State officials have pointed to understaffing as a significant reason for the inadequate care. One of the patients even required hospitalization after staying with Valmont and André.
The last courtroom appearance for Valmont and André was on January 28th, with a trial date set for May 11th.
In the broader context, while the Trump administration sought to eliminate Temporary Protected Status for around 350,000 undocumented Haitians, the Biden administration has expanded the program. However, Judge Ana Reyes, appointed by Biden, intervened by ruling that Trump lacked the authority to terminate the plan.
