POLICY PRIORITIES
INTERSECTIONAL ADVOCACY
Human trafficking is not an issue confined to developing countries. Media portrayals often perpetuates this misconceptions by depicting foreign nationals being transported across borders or held in captivity. In reality, human trafficking occurs in cities, suburbs, and rural communities across the United States. Anyone—regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, immigration status, or religion—can become a victim. However, traffickers often target individuals who face heightened vulnerabilities, such as those lacking safe and stable housing.
Our policy platform is built on five key pillars: Racial Justice, Economic Justice, Immigrant Justice, Climate Justice, and Government Accountability. Our advocacy is intentionally intersectional, with a focus on the following:
- Increase the state's focus on addressing labor and sexual trafficking.
- Invest in prevention through education, training, and outreach to impacted communities.
- Support and improve current services available to human trafficking survivors.
- Ensure government response is centered in assisting victims, not on criminalizing.
LOCAL & STATE POLICY PRIORITIES
LOS ANGELES
Prevent Trafficking in the Aftermath of Natural Disasters in Los Angeles |
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Problem: Natural disasters exacerbate vulnerabilities that increase the risk of human trafficking, particularly in industries like construction, where demand for recovery and rebuilding efforts surges. The chaotic aftermath of disasters often leads to weakened oversight, creating opportunities for labor and sex trafficking. Workers recruited for post-disaster recovery are frequently subjected to unsafe conditions, wage theft, and other forms of exploitation, as highlighted in recent studies documenting high rates of labor trafficking in disaster-affected regions. |
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Goal: Implement a comprehensive, equity-based approach to protect workers and prevent exploitation during disaster recovery efforts. This includes raising awareness about the heightened risk of human trafficking during disasters, updating procurement policies for all LA County-contracted goods, advancing laws that safeguard temporary workers, including those on temporary visas, and providing assistance to domestic workers, day laborers, and others who have lost employment due to natural disasters. |
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Impact: Adopting these measures would create safer and more equitable conditions for workers involved in disaster recovery efforts. These actions would reduce vulnerabilities to exploitation, strengthen worker protections, promote accountability among contractors, and serve as model for other jurisdictions. |
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Prevent Trafficking by Updating City and County Procurement Policies |
| Problem: Los Angeles City and County’s procurement policies do not protect against trafficking in supply chains and contracted services. |
| Goal: Update existing procurement contract requirements in Los Angeles City and County to be consistent with measures already required Federally. |
| Impact: These procurement contract requirement changes would ensure all future public contracts, including contracts issued in preparation for the World Cup (2026) and the Olympics (2028), are made with companies and organizations with ethical business practices. Los Angeles needs to require all suppliers and service providers seeking to contract with the city and county to take active steps to prohibit trafficking-related activities in their supply chains. This targeted approach is long overdue. |
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Understand the Needs of Human Trafficking Survivors in Los Angeles by Collecting Accurate Data |
| Problem: There is no accurate data on the prevalence of human trafficking in Los Angeles City and County. Better data is needed to fully understand how to address human trafficking in the Los Angeles. |
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Goal: To fund and complete a prevalence study in the City and County. By looking at the cost of comparable studies on human trafficking, it can be estimated that a countywide comprehensive prevalence study focusing on both sex and labor trafficking would cost approximately $1.5 million and take around 3 years to complete. Citywide, it would cost $1 million and also take 3 years to complete. A comprehensive prevalence study would help Los Angeles area officials combat trafficking and serve survivors by:
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| Impact: The data collected through a prevalence study would give Los Angeles City and County the ability to: (1) invest appropriately in prevention strategies; (2) invest appropriately in intervention and outreach strategies and; (3) invest appropriately in specialized service needs for survivors. |
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Support Human Trafficking Survivors in Los Angeles by Funding a Restorative Justice Pilot Program for Human Trafficking |
| Problem: Since the passage of the Victims of Trafficking and Protection Act (2001), there has been push to provide justice to human trafficking victims in the United States. However, across the nation, including Los Angeles, enhancing prosecutorial efforts to arrest and convict traffickers has dominated resources devoted to combating human trafficking. |
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Goal: It would be beneficial for Los Angeles to take the important step of adopting a pilot restorative justice program for human trafficking survivors as an alternative to the traditional prosecution in the criminal justice system. This pilot program would (i) be in line with documented research regarding human trafficking survivors’ wants and needs, (ii) remove the burden on taxpayers who bear the costs of placing perpetrators in jail and then prison, and (iii) decrease defendants’ likelihood of recidivism. |
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Impact: Restorative justice initiatives expand the potential for real change in communities, the justice system, and the realization of justice for survivors of human trafficking. Compared to the current justice system, restorative justice programs have proven to be more effective in both reducing the likelihood of reoffending and saving taxpayers money. In allocating the first funding for a restorative justice pilot program, Los Angeles will be taking an important first step towards affording justice to human trafficking survivors based on their own terms. In doing so, Los Angeles County will provide new pathways for increased community safety, save taxpayer money in both the short and long-term, and save thousands of lives by investing in approaches that may prevent trafficking in the long run. |
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Support Human Trafficking Survivors in Los Angeles by Addressing the Needs of Youth Who are Labor Trafficked Through Forced Criminality |
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Problem: Many young individuals who fall victim to labor trafficking through forced criminal activities are not being effectively identified and provided with necessary support. The urgency for intervention cannot be emphasized enough, reflecting our steadfast commitment to safeguarding the futures of these vulnerable youth. |
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Goal: Los Angeles County can address this issue with the same framework they used to addressed the needs of Commercial Sexual Exploited of Children (CSEC). Since 2012, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ has created a framework to address the needs of this vulnerable population in Los Angeles. Its work has supported increased training, education and collaborative taskforces around this issue. Further, it has provided additional support and specialized programs for CSEC youth through, housing, safe youth zones, victim witness testimony, and parent services. LA County must take the same steps for all youth forced to commit crimes by their traffickers. |
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Impact: Ensure service provision to all child victims of human trafficking in Los Angeles. |
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LA CITY & COUNTY MOTION TRACKING
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SJI is also monitoring other LA City and County proposals that seek to address human trafficking. For a list of motions and our position, you can view the summary here: |
CALIFORNIA
AB 2101 - PREVENTING TRAFFICKING & EMPOWERING IMMIGRANT WORKERS THROUGH EDUCATION, AWARENESS AND TRAINING |
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Problem: Workers who rebuild communities after natural disasters -often called second responders or resilience workers - face heightened risks of trafficking and exploitation due to isolated worksites, informal recruitment and employment arrangements, and limited oversight. Because the majority of these workers are undocumented immigrants, or immigrants with temporary or non-permanent status, employers and subcontractors often weaponize threats of deportation and ICE raids to manipulate and force second responders to work in unsafe and exploitative conditions. As climate disasters grow more frequent and federal immigration enforcement intensifies, California must take steps towards protecting these essential workers. |
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Goal: Ensuring workers understand available protections + employers and subcontractors are put on notice that violations will be visible and enforced. By increasing awareness and accountability, these measures deter bad actors and serve as a clear compliance mechanism in high-risk industries |
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Impact: Survivors consistently report that earlier access to information could have enabled escape from exploitation. By providing safeguards to workers who rebuild after natural disasters, California is safeguarding its ability to rebuild effectively and efficiently after natural disasters. |
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AB 1245 (STEFANI) - PREVENTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING & EXPLOITATION THROUGH PUBLIC PROCUREMENT |
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Problem: From 2021 to 2023, California spent $56.25 billion on public contracts often procuring goods that are at high risk of being produced with forced labor and/or child labor. However, the state has not updated its procurement policies since 2007. With major sporting events set to take place in California and the known risk of human trafficking around such events, California can prevent human trafficking by ensuring that government contracts are not given to companies which are not taking steps to mitigate exploitation and forced labor in their supply chains. |
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Goal: Update state procurement processes by adopt the same Federal standards that have been enacted since 2016. |
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Impact: The legislation would ensure that all public contracts, including contracts issued in preparation for the major sporting events like the Olympic Games (2028), Super Bowl (2027) World Cup (2026) and the NBA All Star Games (2025 and 2026) are given to companies and organizations with ethical business practices. With nearly a $300 billion budget, California is one of the few economies capable of reshaping supply chains through procurement reform. |
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RECOGNIZING LABOR TRAFFICKING VICTIMIZATION & PROTECTING ALL CHILDREN VULNERABLE TO ALL FORMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING |
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Problem: California only recognizes "sex trafficking" as a form of "child abuse", thereby leaving children who are subjected or vulnerable to labor trafficking overlooked or at worst criminalized for their victimization. Despite evidence demonstrating an increase in instances of child labor trafficking, California has not yet taken comprehensive action to ensure children at risk of any form commercial exploitation are adequately protected within existing child welfare and prevention frameworks. |
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Goal: The primary goal of this legislation would be to recognize labor trafficking as form of child abuse and, by extension, provide the same care and protection that is currently afforded to survivors of commercial sexual exploitation through the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Program |
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Impact: Children who are vulnerable to, or subjected to labor trafficking will be better identified and by extension, provided the same framework of supportive services that is currently afforded to children who are vulnerable to sex trafficking. Youth subjected to forced labor by forced criminality will be provided services rather than arrest and juvenile delinquency. |
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CALIFORNIA BUDGET REQUESTS
PREVENTING TRAFFICKING & SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF TRAFFICKING |
| Problem: To date, California has made minimal investments in preventing human trafficking and supporting survivors statewide. |
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Goal: California must increase investment in comprehensive preventive measures to address human trafficking and support survivors. As a first step, immediate investment should made in the following areas:
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Additional Information:
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RESTORATIVE JUSTICE FOR THOSE IMPACTED BY HUMAN TRAFFICKING |
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Problem: Survivors of human trafficking often report feeling excluded, confused, and revictimized by the criminal justice process. Moreover, survivors believe that the system fails to provide adequate support toward their healing and recovery because of its current focus to punish the accused. Furthermore, the delays in the system have a significant impact on survivors, often putting their lives and healing on hold for years while they wait for their cases to be resolved in court. |
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Goal: Implement a Restorative Justice approach that centers the voices of survivors to repair the harm while helping those responsible for the crime understand the impact of their actions and regain a connection to the community. |
| Impact: Fosters community engagement, streamlines justice process, and promotes long-term systemic change focused on healing rather than punishment. |
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CALIFORNIA IMPLEMENTATION REQUESTS
IMPROVING ACCESS TO COMPENSATION FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS |
| Problem: Financial compensation is critical to recovery in the aftermath of human trafficking. Yet, many survivors remain unaware of essential resources available that can support their reintegration into society. |
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Goal: Assembly Bill 629, an existing critical piece of legislation that provides financial support to victims through the California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) as result of being deprived of their freedom to earn wages , offers a vital path to rebuilding and recovery. California must intensify its efforts to expand outreach and ensure that available benefits under this bill are effectively distributed to survivors. To increase outreach and ensure that human trafficking survivors can access financial assistance through CalVCB, California must:
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PREVENTING TRAFFICKING THROUGH AB 1362 (KALRA) - IMPLEMENTING REGULATIONS OF FOREIGN LABOR RECRUITERS |
| Problem: Historically and pervasively, workers who enter the United States on temporary visa programs are defrauded, abused, and subjected to human trafficking because of false promises and the illegal schemes of foreign labor recruiters (FLRs). With little to no Federal oversight over these programs which have expanded exponentially in the last few years and expected to grow immensely in coming years, it is essential that California expand protections for all temporary immigrant workers. |
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Goal: To effectively implement AB 1362 which added H-2A workers (farm workers) increased protections under California law and work toward create ensuring that all temporary visa holders working in California are protected by the statutory framework for Foreign Labor Recruiters (FLR) enacted in 2014 under SB-477. Enacted language for AB 1362 from 2025 can also be found here. Enacted regulatory language and agency guidance and forms can be found here. |
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Impact: To effectively implement AB 1362 whic Impact: The 50,000 H-2A Workers who Come to CA Annually will receive additionally protections enacted under AB 1362. SJI will continue to work to ensure all 350,000 temporary immigrant workers who come to the state every year receive these additional protections that were enacted under SB 477 for H-2B workers. The implementation of SB 477 establisehed the framework and infrastructure needed to regulate H-2B workers. This system can feasibly be expanded to protect all temporary visa workers across various industries from tech and engineering to construction and agriculture. |
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CLEARING CRIMINAL RECORDS FOR TRAFFICKING SURVIVORS |
| Problem: Survivors of human trafficking are often arrested and convicted for crimes they were coerced into committing during their exploitation. These convictions—rooted in forced criminality—do not reflect survivors’ agency, but rather the violence and control they endured. Long after the trafficking ends, criminal records continue to block access to housing, employment, education, and safety. |
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Goal: Penal Code § 236.14, enacted in 2016, provides a critical remedy for survivors by allowing them to petition the court to vacate convictions directly tied to their trafficking experience. Nearly a decade later, implementation remains uneven and underutilized—making full enforcement long overdue. This survivor-centered legal relief helps remove unjust barriers and supports long-term healing and reintegration. To ensure survivors can access vacatur and reclaim their futures, California must:
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| LEARN MORE |
BILL TRACKING
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SJI is also monitoring other proposals that seek to address human trafficking. For a list of these bills and our position, view report here.
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