San Mateo County launches coordinated push to combat human trafficking ahead of Super Bowl, World Cup Matches
As the Bay Area prepares to host the Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup matches in 2026, San Mateo County officials convened local, state and federal partners on Monday, December 8 to share information and strengthen the region’s response to human trafficking.
More than 200 people attended the three-hour session: local law enforcement, federal agents, prosecutors, victim advocates, nonprofit leaders and representatives from the hospitality and transportation industries.
Supervisor Jackie Speier, who co-hosted the event with Supervisor Ray Mueller (pictured), said local authorities must move quickly to build the capacity to detect and disrupt trafficking networks. She urged participants to speak up if they see signs of trafficking and stressed the importance of coordinated action.
“We want to make sure that everyone understands that if you see something, it’s important to say something,” Speier said. “If you’ve had the regrettable opportunity to speak with a human trafficking victim, you know how repugnant it is. You know how destructive it is, and you know that it could have been stopped.”
Mueller described human trafficking as “almost invisible,” noting that traffickers rely on silence, anonymity and online platforms to exploit vulnerable people. He urged attendees to use the weeks and months ahead to expand training, share information and intervene when they see signs of exploitation.
Mueller said that early in his legal career, he faced a human trafficking case that left a lasting impact.
“I learned about women who were promised a better future, brought here, locked in an apartment and trafficked,” Mueller said. “Those women are on my mind today because we know that in the coming weeks and months, people will be brought here for that purpose.”
Speakers addressed both sex and labor trafficking, noting that exploitation occurs in the construction, agriculture, domestic work and other labor sectors. Many victims, they said, are lured by false promises of employment or stability, only to be coerced, controlled or indebted once they arrive.
San Mateo County is considered a high-risk corridor for trafficking because of its proximity to three international airports and along major north-south transit routes. Officials said those factors, combined with a large hospitality industry, make the region a prime target for traffickers during major events and throughout the year.
