Slavery; Slavery in the USA; now condoned by US court!; brought to you by the UAE...

Chief U.S. District Judge Mary M. Lisi has recused herself from hearing the civil suit brought by the Filipinohousekeeper accusing a United Arab Emirates military officer of forcing her into involuntary servitude.


Lisi removed herself from hearing Elizabeth Cabitla Ballesteros’ lawsuit Friday after the judge acquitted Capt. Arif Mohamed Saeed Mohamed Al-Ali of criminal charges that he lured Ballesteros to work for his family in the United States as he attended a yearlong Naval War College program and then failed to pay her for her work.
Ballesteros, 39, a mother of three from a poor village, worked for Al-Ali for three years in the United Arab Emirates before agreeing to come with the family to the United States in July 2010. She testified last week that she worked 17 hours a day without pay, cleaning and cooking for the family, washing two cars and caring for the children until she escaped in October.
Al-Ali, who was among 47 people selected worldwide to participate in the naval program, testified that her only duty was caring for 4-year-old Ahmed, the youngest of his five children. Al-Ali, who earned $32,000 a month while attending the program, said his family split up the chores and his wife did the cooking.

While Lisi’s verdict ended the criminal case brought by U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha’s office in conjunction with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the civil case remains alive.

Ivy O. Suriyopas, a lawyer with the New York City-based Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said Friday she would make a motion to resume the civil suit against Al-Ali and his wife, Samah Alharmoodi, on Ballesteros’ behalf. That lawsuit accuses them of recruiting her to America, imprisoning her and forcing her into involuntary servitude at the Downing Street house in East Greenwich.
Al-Ali, 47, will be represented by former U.S. Attorney Robert Clark Corrente, who won Al-Ali’s acquittal in the bench trial before Lisi.

Ballesteros was granted temporary immigration status provided to individuals identified by law enforcement as victims of human trafficking. This status allows victims of human trafficking to remain in the U.S. temporarily during the ongoing investigation into the human trafficking-related crimes allegedly committed against them. The outcome of Ballesteros’ criminal case remains under internal review.
“ICE respects the decision of the court and will continue to prioritize investigations of suspected human trafficking,” said Bruce M. Foucart, special agent in charge for ICE.