Los Angeles County proclaims January 2026 Human Trafficking Prevention Month, backs worker-focused awareness campaign

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved companion motions to declare January 2026 Human Trafficking Prevention Month and to promote an Office of Labor Equity awareness campaign designed to help workers and the public identify signs of labor trafficking.

Supervisor Janice Hahn, a coauthor of one of the motions, said the county should center survivor-led, trauma-informed responses rather than rely solely on criminal enforcement. "Recognizing January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Los Angeles County reaffirms that through prevention and partnership led by survivors is how we end exploitation in all its forms," Hahn said during the meeting.

Rafael Carvajal, director of the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, told the board the Office of Labor Equity plans to use a short video and social-media clips to reach vulnerable workers. "Labor trafficking is one of the most underreported and least visible forms of trafficking," Carvajal said, adding that it often appears as unpaid wages, debt coercion, document confiscation, threats or retaliation rather than the dramatic kidnappings that many imagine.

The board and department staff cited the county's role as host for large international events in coming years when explaining urgency. "As Los Angeles County prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games, awareness of labor trafficking is especially urgent," Supervisor Hilda Solis said, urging proactive outreach in sectors such as construction, hospitality and transportation.

Advocates who addressed the board praised the motions and asked for more funding and targeted outreach. Paloma Bustos of the Sunita Jane Anti Trafficking Initiative at Loyola Law School urged sustained investment in prevention and long-term supports: "A true public health approach means investing in prevention, stability, and long term support, not just crisis response," she said.

The board approved the two items (items 7 and 8) on roll calls recorded in the meeting: both motions passed 5-0. The full video and a longer six-minute version will be available on the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs YouTube channel; staff said they plan to distribute shorter snippets for social platforms and work with community-based organizations to reach at-risk workers.

The proclamation directs county departments to elevate survivor-centered prevention and clarifies that the campaign will aim at workers and employers across industries most vulnerable to exploitation. No funding appropriations were adopted as part of the proclamation; advocates told the board they will press for dedicated resources during the county's upcoming budget presentations.

The board moved next into other agenda matters; the campaign materials and the full video were offered as resources to implement the proclamation.