Foreign workers for defense contractors on at least four U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf are trapped in their jobs by abusive employment practices that they say prevent them from returning home or even looking for better work in the region, more than 30 current and former workers said in interviews.

Many of the thousands of migrants employed on Persian Gulf bases have had their passports confiscated, been saddled with onerous debts after paying illegal recruitment fees...

The companies that provide food, repair vehicles and supply other services to the U.S. military routinely turn down requests from civilian employees for release papers they need to leave their jobs...

The workers, mainly from South Asia, are employed as mechanics and laborers by Kuwait Resources House (KRH), a large subcontractor for major defense firms at several American military bases in the Persian Gulf, including U.S.-headquartered Vectrus and Amentum...

Ten current and former workers said many KRH employees cannot seek better-paying jobs, or in some cases, even go home, because the company blocks them from leaving...

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