Can California stop traffickers before they strike?

California lawmakers are considering new legislation that would strengthen protections for temporary migrant workers against exploitation by abusive labor recruiters. The proposed bill, Assembly Bill (AB) 1362, comes in response to years of documented abuses in which workers are deceived, indebted, and left vulnerable to trafficking.

Recruitment as a gateway to trafficking

Data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline shows that temporary visa holders are highly vulnerable to trafficking, yet federal agencies have largely shifted focus away from labor cases.

Capital & Main reports,

California is home to over 300,000 temporary immigrant workers, the largest number of any state. They range from farm laborers and construction workers to nurses and software engineers. Yet advocates warn that many remain unprotected, since previous legislation contained loopholes that covered only a fraction of temporary workers. AB 1362 seeks to close those gaps, extending protections across visa categories and making recruiters legally liable for abuses.

For many, recruitment abroad is the point at which exploitation begins.

AB 1362, introduced by Assemblymember Ash Kalra, would strengthen enforcement against abusive recruitment practices by requiring foreign labor recruiters to register with California’s Labor Commissioner. If passed, AB 1362 would require recruiters to provide workers with clear contracts, ensure they retain their passports, and guarantee access to information on how to seek help if abused.

It would also mandate that contracts be provided in workers’ native languages and ban illegal recruitment fees.

Expanding protections for temporary migrant workers

Supporters, including Freedom United, Farmworker Justice, and the Pilipino Workers Center, argue that the law is essential given weak federal oversight.

According to Krysta Bisnauth, the Advocacy Manager at Freedom United,

“Tens of thousands of workers are currently being set up for wage theft, debt bondage, and trafficking while California looks the other way,” she said. “The current law cannot protect against unfair and unscrupulous recruiters, so a lot of the forced labor is actually occurring at the point of recruitment, which might be somewhere like Mexico or the Philippines.”

Supporters include immigrant rights organizations, farmworker advocates, and anti-trafficking groups. They point out that federal oversight has been weak, forcing states like California to lead the way. “We’re hoping that California can actually lead the way where federal oversight has completely failed,” said Aradhana Tiwari of the Sunita Jain Anti-Trafficking Initiative.

The bill faces opposition from the California Farm Bureau. The Bureau claims it duplicates existing law and imposes costs on legitimate businesses. Advocates point out that current rules cover only farm labor contractors and do not address recruiters in other industries.

California can make a difference

With AB 1362, California has the opportunity to do the right thing.

Freedom United is  calling on California lawmakers to prioritize protections for temporary migrant workers. Join us in demanding stronger safeguards—because no worker should have to choose between exploitation and survival.