In the wake of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, LMU Loyola Law School’s Sunita Jain Anti-Trafficking Policy Initiative (SJI) gathered a coalition of nonprofit organizations, legal advocates, and public officials with one goal in mind: to raise awareness about and establish rules to mitigate the heightened risk to workers of recruitment into sex and labor trafficking in the immediate aftermath of the fires, as well as during the longer turn post-disaster rebuilding efforts.
“Natural disasters are opportunities for exploitation,” Richard said. “By taking action now, we can create a future where every worker is treated with dignity and respect.”
Natural disasters often create economic hardship, job losses, and housing instability—conditions that traffickers exploit, particularly targeting immigrants, undocumented workers, women, and children. As Los Angeles begins to rebuild, the coalition emphasized the importance of safeguarding vulnerable workers from forced labor and exploitation. On Feb. 27, 2025, the coalition held a press conference in front of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors’ building to highlight the urgent need for stronger labor protections and systemic solutions to prevent worker exploitation.
This is a critical moment to ensure that rebuilding efforts are just and equitable,” said SJI Director Stephanie Richard. “We must work together to implement protections that prevent exploitation and empower workers to prevent exploitation and trafficking before it occurs. .”
The event featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including public officials, labor rights advocates, legal experts, and survivors of human trafficking. Research has shown a direct link between natural disasters and increased risks of human trafficking, particularly in the construction and recovery sectors. Vulnerable workers, often lacking legal protections, face unsafe working conditions, wage theft, and threats of deportation or violence if they report abuse.
The coalition urged the Board of Supervisors and L.A. City Council to immediately introduce motions that employ a multi-faceted approach safety net, in order to:
- Educate the public to reduce the likelihood of individuals being recruited into trafficking.
- Ensure disaster pre-planning and response staff receive training on trafficking prevention, so they can integrate it into current and future disaster relief efforts.
- Revise Los Angeles City and County procurement policies to prevent trafficking in supply chains for goods purchased by the city and county for the rebuilding process.
- Focus on impacted areas to create greater accountability from employers, stronger enforcement of labor laws, and increased access to legal resources for at-risk communities.
"So much of the conversation around rebuilding has focused on price gouging and protecting renters, but we cannot ignore the human cost of disaster recovery,” says SHJ Policy Associate Paloma Bustos. “Without protections and preventative measures, the most vulnerable, including immigrants, low-wage workers, are at risk of trafficking and exploitation. That’s why we are pressing our county leaders to take action now and adopt a public health approach that prioritizes prevention while upholding dignity and safety before exploitation takes root.”
SJI plays a vital role in these efforts by combining legal expertise, survivor-informed advocacy, and community-driven solutions to combat human trafficking. Through research, policy recommendations, and direct engagement with impacted communities, the initiative continues to push for systemic change This work is supported by LLS students who provide hundreds of hours of pro bono support for these efforts while learning about the complex intersectional issues of preventing human trafficking from a public health approach and social justice lawyering.
Learn more about the SJI and and other ways in which LLS is supporting those impacted by the L.A. wildfires.