WHEREAS, For more than two centuries, the United States has worked to advance the cause of freedom, serving as a beacon of hope for those who cherish liberty and opportunity and leading the fight for the dignity and inalienable rights of every person; and

WHEREAS, Classified as a felony, human trafficking is a form of modern slavery. It is a crime that involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to recruit, harbor, transport, provide, or obtain a person for the purpose of labor or sexual exploitation. As one of the most underreported crimes, it is extremely difficult to conduct accurate surveys on human trafficking; and

WHEREAS, In 2015, the United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking was established by Congress. The council sits as the world’s preeminent human trafficking advisory body led by survivors of human trafficking and advises federal policymakers on antitrafficking policies; and

WHEREAS, In 2021, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that there were 49,600,000 victims of human trafficking globally, of which 27,600,000 were in forced labor and 22,000,000 in forced marriage; and

WHEREAS, According to the ILO, of the total number of global human trafficking victims, 4,900,000 are women and girls in forced commercial sexual exploitation; and

WHEREAS, According to the United States Department of State’s (DOS) 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report, human trafficking cases have been reported in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and United States territories. The United States is among the top three countries of origin of human trafficking victims; and

WHEREAS, According to the DOS report, racial and ethnic minority groups, the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and indigenous populations are extremely vulnerable to exploitation due to social, legal, and cultural marginalization; and

WHEREAS, Studies show that Native American women and girls are victims of human trafficking at a much higher rate compared to the overall population; and

WHEREAS, Sex traffickers and exploiters are known to target foster youth because of their unique vulnerabilities and accessibility; and

WHEREAS, In a two-year study of human trafficking incidents across the country, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation found that 40% of sex trafficking victims are identified as Black women; and

WHEREAS, According to a 2024 report from the United States Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, approximately 300,000 unaccompanied migrant children are unaccounted for when transferred from the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Unaccompanied children who do not appear for court are considered at higher risk for trafficking, exploitation, or forced labor; and

WHEREAS, In 2023, the National Human Trafficking Hotline stated that there were 1,128 cases of human trafficking documented in California, and, in 2023 alone, federal courts found these cases involved 2,045 victims; and

WHEREAS, In 2023, the Human Trafficking Institute reported that 50 percent of foreign national victims were trafficked into the United States; and

WHEREAS, Recent research supported by the National Institute of Justice reveals that labor and sex trafficking data appearing in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s national Uniform Crime Reporting Program may significantly understate the extent of human trafficking crimes in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature recognizes the continuously growing crime of human trafficking within California due to its ever-increasing population, extensive international border, large immigrant population, and primary airports and harbors; and

WHEREAS, The State of California is committed to combating all forms of human trafficking, recovering victims, prosecuting offenders, advocating on behalf of victims, raising community awareness, and strengthening collaborative partnerships; and

WHEREAS, National Human Trafficking Prevention Month culminates in the annual observation of National Freedom Day on February 1; and

WHEREAS, Founded on the principles of justice and fairness, the United States continues to lead the global movement to end modern slavery, with agencies and skilled professionals at the local, state, and national levels conducting investigations, collaborations, and trainings, organizing public outreach and promoting awareness, and directly assisting the victims of human trafficking; now, therefore, be it