East County News Service

PHOTO: Shane Harris, President of the People's Association of Justice Advocates, speaks out as National City Police Chief Jose Tellez, anti-human trafficking advocate Marisa Ugarte, Chula Vista Mayor John McCann, National City Mayor Ron Morrison and Abdur Rahim Hameed, President of the National Black Contractors Association, look on.

March 22, 2023 (San Diego) – Civic leaders are urging Governor Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature to repeal Senate Bill 357, a recent law which decriminalized loitering with the intent to sell sex.  Elected officials, police chiefs and civil rights leaders say that far from protecting victims of sex trafficking, the law has created opportunities for perpetrators to exploit vulnerable minors.

At a press conference in late February in San Diego, officials including California Attorney General Bonta, San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit, National City, CA Police Chief Jose Tellez and San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan discussed how this law has made it even more difficult to address human trafficking.