Despite our best efforts, on September 27, 2022 Governor Newsom vetoed AB364, a bill to protect temporary migrant workers from exploitative work conditions by unscrupulous foreign labor contractors. Governor Newsom waited until his time had almost run out to veto AB364. That’s because we made an impact with our two years of advocacy. Thank you to the Freedom United community for signing the petition, for emailing and calling the Governor’s office and tweeting at the Governor to make your voice heard. We will continue to advocate for the protection of all temporary migrant workers from exploitation and forced labor. Read our full field report here.

Global pressure is building on FIFA to remedy exploited migrant workers tasked with bringing us the 2022 World Cup.

In November, ten European Football Associations responded to FIFA saying that human rights are universal and must be applied everywhere.

Our partners Be Slavery Free presented 5,700+ Freedom United signatures to the Australian Senate and Senator Thorpe referenced the action calling on Football Associations to pressure FIFA in her Senate speech which you can listen to here!

Thank you to the thousands of Freedom United supporters who kept this issue in the public eye during the World Cup. Now, let's keep demanding justice for migrant workers.

CAMPAIGN WIN! On July 1, Governor Newsom signed the Safer Streets for All Act into law, making it easier for trafficking victims to seek help and enabling survivors convicted of loitering to clear their names. Thank you to Freedom United community members who joined our petition and called the Governor's office. Read our field report here.

SUCCESS! We wrote to the President of the University of Florida last year asking him to terminate and not renew its partnership with Aramark as part of our campaign for divestment from prison slavery, and he listened! Effective July 1, the University of Florida ends its contract with exploitative food services company Aramark. Read our letter here. Aramark has been repeatedly criticized for relying on prison labor, as well as documented links to forced labor in prisons. Current and former pre-trial and immigration detainees at Santa Rita Jail in California filed a class action against Aramark alleging forced labor. In addition to its connection to prison labor, Aramark—which has contracts with hundreds of educational institutions across the U.S.—has been frequently sued for a variety of labor abuses, including workplace safety violations and sub-minimum wages. 22,000+ in the Freedom United community helped pressure the University of Florida to divest from prison slavery.

With the help of local organization Girls Inspired, we raised funds to help 20 Nigerian entrepreneurs access training and financial support to set up and scale their businesses. Financial security and independence are of the utmost importance to trafficking survivors who are trying to recover from their experiences and avoid further exploitation. Read more here.