I know, I know. That title is explosive and most people’s first reaction would be revulsion that I would make such an allegation. However, Senator Weber Pierson has done several concerning things that, taken together, indicates she’s helping to facilitate human trafficking: voting for AB-1518, voting for AB-495 in its original form, encouraging vulnerable people to give their private data to an organization that is a known sexual predator, and trying to hide the identity of said organization so that potential victims don’t know who they are giving their private data to.
1. One of the many laws passed in the current legislative cycle that I believe to be a violation of our constitutional protections is AB-1518 . It was passed in 2025 and codified as Revenue and Tax Code 18537. Dr. Weber Pierson voted for this law. In reading the legislation, I saw that the same law had passed in 2020 as AB-2660 (chapter 102 Burke), but it was a temporary law that expired at the end of 2025. It was codified as Revenue and Tax Code 18624. The updated version passed in 2025 is the same, it just makes the law permanent.
In reading AB-1518, I found some disturbing details that indicate the State is not only allowing human trafficking, it is profiting off of it. Group tax returns are filed by employers on behalf of their illegal alien employees. The employers are only required to say how many illegal employees they have and the total amount of money the illegals were paid. The illegals are charged the highest state tax rate, which is 12.3%. They are also required to pay an extra 1% mental health fee, which is normally only imposed on those who make $1 million or more per year. Everyone files as single, with no deductions or credits allowed.
I believe this bill qualifies as facilitating human trafficking. The State of California has essentially made a deal with human traffickers that the state will turn a blind eye to exploitation of illegal aliens in exchange for a big cut of the revenues generated. I highly doubt these illegals are being paid as high of a wage as their American counterparts, yet are probably paying at least triple the tax rate that they would pay if they were working legally. I believe that every legislator who voted for this bill has committed Treason of Oath as trafficking was specifically outlawed in the 13th Amendment of the Constitution. I believe that by voting for this bill, Senator Weber Pierson has indicated that she’s totally good with allowing human trafficking on her watch.
2. Another law that I believe to be concerning is AB-495, which passed in 2025. In its original form, it was a clear violation of our constitutional rights. It allowed anyone who had access to basic information about a family — the child’s name, birth date, school and parent name(s) — to steal a child out of the school. All that was required to take custody of a child was to present the school with an affidavit with the aforementioned information that was signed by the person taking custody — not the parent — saying that the parents granted this person custody. The school was prohibited from contacting the parents to confirm whether they really did give this person permission to take the child. Dr. Weber Pierson voted for this bill in its original form.
I find it deeply disturbing that Senator Weber Pierson, whose southern district line is literally a 5-minute drive from the Mexican border, would make it so easy to snatch a child from a school. Had the bill not been amended, in her district, a child could have been stolen and across the border before the parents were aware that the child had been kidnapped. Of all the senators, she should have been the most concerned about protective measures and should have refused to vote for a bill that lacked said protective measures. By voting for the bill in its original form, it looks like Senator Weber Pierson was helping to facilitate child trafficking.
In good news, thanks to strong push back from the public, AB-495 was amended. While it is still possible for a an unauthorized person to kidnap a child out of a school, the onerous has been placed on the school to try to protect the child. The school is supposed to contact the parents and/or people predesignated by the parents before allowing the person with the affidavit to take the child. The bill also requires the person with the affidavit to be “extended family or like family,” with a very broad description of what “like family” means. However, notarization of the affidavit is not required, so anyone can pretend to be an extended family member and sweet talk a lax school secretary into handing over a child.
3. For the last year and a half, there have been many news stories about a San Diego based organization, named Dreams for Change, where clients have alleged that the staff was sexually assaulting them. I did a little digging and found out that Dreams for Change was a subsidiary of the United Way that was being paid by the Franchise Tax Board (FTB) to help illegal aliens get tax identification numbers and file tax returns so that the newly legal migrants can have cash in hand from the state via a program called Cal-EITC. FTB wants Dreams to Change to specifically look for families as they get more cash back than people without children. There is a particular focus on families who have children that are six or younger as they get the maximum cash payout available.
In July 2025, I contacted United Way and told them about the allegations against Dreams for Change. They did not respond. I also contacted 211 San Diego, an organization that refers people to Dreams for Change, by phone and told them about the allegations.
In September 2025, I brought the fact that Dreams for Change was a known sexual predator up to FTB and United Way. I asked FTB for more information about the vetting process for the NGOs who are chosen to work with these vulnerable people. I also contacted 211 San Diego. FTB did not respond, nor did United Way, nor did 211.
In October and November, more news stories came out about the sexual assaults by the staff on the clients. I forwarded each of those articles on to United Way, FTB and 211. In December 2025, I again asked FTB for more information about the vetting process for the NGOs. In January 2026, yet another news story came out about sexual assaults. I forwarded that one on to United Way, FTB and 211.
In February 2026, FTB did finally respond to me, but they ignored the Dreams for Change allegations and were evasive about the NGO vetting process. I checked United Way’s website and found that even though they had taken Dreams for Change off their website, Dreams for Change was still a United Way subsidiary and was still working with vulnerable people regarding tax ID numbers and income tax returns.
This discovery left me distraught — how could FTB and United Way encourage vulnerable people to hand over their private information to an organization they know is staffed by sexual predators? Why would they knowingly endanger these vulnerable people? As a parent, the most upsetting part was that the vulnerable people were giving these predators all of the information necessary to kidnap a child from school. And FTB is specifically encouraging families with children, especially children 6 and under, to go to Dreams for Change for help with tax returns.
4. On February 19, 2025, Senator Weber Pierson sent an email out announcing she was hosting a Tacos and Taxes event in conjunction with Dreams for Change and Golden State Opportunity Foundation (which is a tax lobbyist with questionable accounting practices). I called her Sacramento office at 0900 on February 20. The person I spoke with, Kianna Walker, stated that they were unaware of the allegations against Dreams for Change and would evaluate whether Senator Weber Pierson would continue to endorse this event. I emailed them some of the more recent news stories. Over the next week, I called almost daily to follow up. Each time, they said they still hadn’t made a decision as to whether they would continue to endorse the event.
On February 27, I called United Ways offices. I left a message for President & CEO and board member Pete Manzo, Director of Public Policy Danielle Bautista, and a message in the general voicemail box asking what protections have been put into place to ensure that the information provided by the vulnerable people would be protected. They have not responded to me as of yet. I also left a voicemail message and sent an email to 211, asking them not to refer people to the event. 211 did not respond.
On Monday, March 2, Malaya Sharpe in the San Diego office confirmed that Senator Weber Pierson was still endorsing the event. However, she was now saying the event was in conjunction with United Way instead of Dreams for Change. While incredibly deceptive, that wasn’t a lie since Dreams for Change is a United Way subsidiary.
I also noticed that Dreams for Change took their tax services off their website. Now when you click on the “Free Tax Help” button, it takes you to the United Way’s site. When you click on the contact us button, it says “Dreams for Change utilizes 2-1-1 San Diego to schedule our tax appointments.” So obviously, 211 is the direct facilitator. When you click on the Volunteer button, helping people with their taxes is one of the options.
I was disgusted. Shame on Dr. Weber Pierson and staff for intentionally trying to trick people. At least if they told the truth, the attendee could do a little research to decide if Dreams for Change was an organization they trusted. By deceiving people, Dr. Weber Pierson has taken away the vulnerable person’s opportunity to determine whether this was a safe venue. I believe this lack of candor indicates nefarious intent.
I asked Ms. Sharpe what protections have been put into place to make sure that the information provided by the vulnerable people would be protected. She said she would get back to me.
On March 5, I contacted YMCA and left a message with the administration office about the upcoming event at their venue. They did try to return my call, but I missed it. I called them again on March 6 and left another message, but did not receive another call back.
On March 6, I called Senator Weber Pierson’s office and spoke with Ms. Sharpe again. Ms. Sharpe assured me that no protocols were necessary as nothing nefarious would happen. She also stated that the event was being run by United Way and 211, so all was fine. I pointed out to Ms. Sharpe that 211 was only a referral service — that 211 sent people to Dreams for Change for tax help and that United Way’s San Diego location was Dreams for Change. I told her I thought it was malicious that she was attempting to deceive the public. I then left another message for United Way on their general voicemail asking them to please call me back to let me know what protective protocols were in place. United Way did not return my call.
It is noteworthy that State Senator Steve Padilla, whose district borders Dr. Weber Pierson’s, did a Tacos and Taxes event with Dreams for Change in 2025. This year, Senator Padilla chose not to affiliate themselves with Dreams for Change and partnered with another organization for their tax event. When I called his office to confirm he would not endorse an event with Dreams for Change, the woman I spoke with emphatically said no.
In closing, at this point, I believe that Senator Weber Pierson’s series of concerning choices indicates that she may be helping to facilitate human trafficking. I believe an investigation is in order as to any conflicts of interests that she may have which would explain why she has made these questionable choices.