IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 710 

Honoring the Thai-American garment workers who opened the country’s eyes 

to sweatshop conditions in the United States and, against all odds, 

expanded rights for immigrant workers and survivors of human trafficking while holding corporations responsible for the conditions in which 

their clothes are made. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 20, 2023 

Ms. CHU (for herself, Ms. JACOBS, Ms. SA ́NCHEZ, Ms. MENG, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, and Ms. BARRAGA ́N) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the 

Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the Thai-American garment workers who opened 

the country’s eyes to sweatshop conditions in the United 

States and, against all odds, expanded rights for immigrant workers and survivors of human trafficking while 

holding corporations responsible for the conditions in 

which their clothes are made. 

Whereas Thai garment workers were forced to work behind 

barbed wire and under armed guard in an apartment 

complex in El Monte, California, sewing garments for 16 

to 18 hours a day, 7 days a week under the threat of 

harm to themselves and their families in Thailand; 


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•HRES 710 IH 

Whereas the workers were trafficked into the United States, 

held against their will, had their passports taken from 

them, and were denied contact with the outside world 

until August 2, 1995, when a multiagency law enforcement raid exposed their conditions of involuntary servitude; 

Whereas the workers were threatened with deportation until 

community advocates intervened and helped the workers 

find freedom, shelter, new jobs, and the chance to rebuild 

their lives in the United States; 

Whereas the workers filed a landmark lawsuit against their 

captors and against the companies they were sewing for, 

which was the first Federal lawsuit of its kind, transformed the garment industry, and launched anti-sweatshop legislation and campaigns across the country and 

around the world that reverberate to this day; 

Whereas advocates fought for the workers to stay in the 

United States and pioneered the use of S visas, in partnership with Federal prosecutors, which led to the creation of T and U visas to protect workers who serve as 

material witnesses to come forward and report abuse and 

exploitation without fear of immigration-based retaliation; 

Whereas the workers have inspired countless individuals, and 

their story has been documented in books, an animated 

short, museums, including the National Museum of 

American History, and is taught in high school, college, 

and law school curricula; 

Whereas the workers freed from the El Monte sweatshop 

went on to contribute in invaluable ways to the United 

States as activists, spokespersons, small business owners, 


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•HRES 710 IH 

health care professionals, service providers, and more; 

and 

Whereas the workers are now inducted into the United States 

Department of Labor’s Hall of Honor, taking their rightful place in the labor history of the United States for 

their courage, resilience, and groundbreaking efforts: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) honors the Thai garment workers freed 

3 from the El Monte sweatshop for their courage, per4 sistence, and resilience; 

5 (2) recognizes the many legal, cultural, and pol6 icy changes that have resulted from the El Monte 

7 sweatshop case; 

8 (3) recognizes the individuals that continue to 

9 fight against forced labor and human trafficking, for 

10 corporate accountability, and for an end to exploita11 tive working conditions; and 

12 (4) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the 

13 House of Representatives transmit— 

14 (A) an enrolled copy of this resolution to 

15 the Director of the National Museum of Amer16 ican History; and 

17 (B) 5 copies of this resolution to the Sec18 retary of Labor. 

Æ 


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