Preventing Human Trafficking by Regulating 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 create transparency and clarify existing law to ensure 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. Proposed language for the bill can be found here. |
Impact: Due to misinterpretation, current law under SB-477 (Steinberg) only regulates H-2B visas, or less than 3% of roughly 350,000 temporary immigrant workers who come to the state every year. The same framework and infrastructure that was adopted for H-2B workers can easily be expanded to protect all temporary visa workers across various industries from tech and engineering to construction and agriculture. |
Additional Information
- Sponsor Fact Sheet for AB 1362: AB 1362 (Kalra) Fact Sheet
- Author Fact Sheet: AB 1362: The Human Trafficking Prevention and Protection Act for Temporary Immigrant Workers
- Brief: Foreign Labor Recruiter Protections for ALL Temporary Work Visa Categories
- SJI Report: Escalating Demand for Temporary Workers
- Summary of Reports: Widespread Abuses of Temporary Immigrant Workers & Growth of such Visa Programs
- Chart: Proposed Legislation v. Existing Federal & State Laws and Regulations
- Implementation: Existing Protections for H-2B Temporary Immigrant Workers Under SB 477
- Legislative Proposal: Establishing Accountability and Preventing Human Trafficking
Media
- Sacramento Bee, "California bill would combat worker exploitation and labor trafficking" (August 21, 2025)
- Sacramento Bee, "California bill fights predatory labor trafficking practices targeting migrant workers" (July 1, 2025)
- Los Angeles Times," California Lawmaker Seeks to Expand Protections for Temporary Migrant Workers" (March 4, 2025)
- Economic Policy Institute, "In a Year of Tremendous legislative gains for CA Workers, Governor Newsom was wrong to veto a bill to protect 300,000 migrant workers" (October 6, 2022)
- Business and Human Rights Journal, "Expanding California's Law to Increase Protections for Temporary Guest Workers Benefits Buisnesses" ( Dec. 14, 2020)