War & Paradise: The Territories Of The U.S.

Sweatshop Accusations On Mariana Islands

The Islands as a territory are subject to separate lower federal minimum wages and are wholly exempt from American labor laws and workers’ protections. Yet, any products they manufacture under third-world conditions are still legally allowed to be labelled as “Made in America.” Brands such as Levi’s and The Gap hoping to cash in on the positive connotations of American-made goods have contributed to a massive human rights problem right under Congress’s nose. Nearly half of the islands’ population are foreign workers from the Philippines and China, most of whom were deceived by promises of a better life and forced into staying under squalid conditions. Forced abortions, child labor and prostitution have been reported in their sweatshops.