Book & podcast collection

The Great Escape: A True Story of Forced Labor and Immigrant Dreams in America

bySaket Soni

Labor organizer Saket Soni recounts how hundreds of Indian workers were recruited to repair Gulf Coast oil infrastructure after Hurricane Katrina, only to find themselves trapped by debt, deceptive contracts, crowded camps, and threats tied to temporary visas. The workers organized across language and fear, escaped their employer, and marched for justice and legal status. Soni combines an insider's account of the campaign with portraits of immigrant dreams and sacrifice. The book exposes how labor and immigration systems create coercion while showing the collective courage required to challenge it.

Publisher

Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill

Publication date

2023

Format

Print edition

Pages

—

ISBN

9781643750088