Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a recent legal win in the fight against human trafficking, securing a $250,000 settlement from Austin Eco Bilingual School, a Spanish immersion preschool, and its owners.
In 2021, Paxton first filed a civil lawsuit against the owners of the school, Adriana and Enrique Rodriquez, accusing them of operating an international human trafficking scheme.
The lawsuit claimed the couple lured at least seven foreign-born employees to Texas with promises of legal immigration status, fair wages, and more career opportunities. Instead, these trafficked school workers were subjected to exploitative labor practices, including threats of deportation, arrest, and even permanent separation from their families, according to a press release from Paxton’s office.
Adriana Rodriguez, previously named the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Businesswoman of the Year, allegedly controlled her employees’ chances to earn any legal work and pressured them into accepting far less pay than promised or no compensation. According to court records, one victim recalled Rodriguez’s threats, including a remark about her powerful connections to law enforcement and government officials within the area, saying, “I am a very important person, and I can destroy you whenever I choose.”
The $250,000 settlement represents the maximum fine allowed under Texas’s civil anti-trafficking law.
“This settlement will ensure that no one is subjected to the horrors of human trafficking or unlawful labor practices,” Paxton said.
“The actions alleged in the lawsuit were despicable and I am pleased to have secured justice for the victims. I will use every tool at my disposal to prevent companies from operating unlawful labor trafficking schemes using imported foreign workers,” he added.
The outcome is a result of the victims’ courage and the cooperation of multiple witnesses coming together to out the school’s predatory practices. Anyone who suspects human trafficking in their area is encouraged to contact the Texas Office of the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Division at (512) 463-1646 or [email protected].