Blogs

In an explosive new report, investigative journalists at VTDigger have published an exposé of routine and casual collusion between Vermont DMV employees and federal immigration agents to target, arrest, and deport DMV customers.  The report draws from over 50 pages of emails obtained by Migrant Justice in a public records request that show rampant discrimination against immigrants in the months following the 2014 implementation of a state law allowing undocumented drivers access to a license.

Excerpts from emails between DMV employees, and between DMV and ICE employees, include:

“I can send you a list of the names if you like but they are all 'South of the Border' names”

“I’ve emailed the docs to Border Patrol and they will research further and get back to me. They sound pretty excited. I let them know [applicant] has re-scheduled for this Friday.  I will also contact [DMV employee] and let him know what is going on, should he have to play stupid.  [He] loves to play stupid!"

"We are being over run by immigrants”

Read the full report to learn how immigrant Vermonters are fighting back against discrimination at the DMV!

Immigration agents are cracking down on Vermont farmworkers.  Yesterday morning, undercover agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Migrant Justice leader Miguel Alcudia.  One of many Vermont immigrant dairy workers targeted by ICE in recent months, Miguel was arrested after agents staked out his farm and followed him as he drove to the bank to deposit a hard-earned paycheck.

Miguel’s case is part of a wave of ICE arrests of dairy workers in the state.  Earlier this year, another high profile Migrant Justice leader, Victor Diaz, was detained by ICE.  In Victor’s case, the community mobilized to defend him: protests were held around the state and nearly 3,000 people from across the country signed a petition calling for his release.  Though his case continues, Victor was set free and is today back in his community in Vermont.  Now, with Miguel behind bars, we must do the same.

Sign the petition demanding his release!

We did it!  Last week, we put out a call for support, asking you to take action to stop an 11th hour gutting of Vermont's Fair and Impartial Policing policy. The Migrant Justice community mobilized, and we are happy to announce that the new policy -- which will go into effect across the state on July 1st -- is a big step forward to stop discriminatory policing and the harmful collaboration of local police and immigration agents.

Our victory strengthening the policy came on the heels of another major win: a county Sheriff paid a massive settlement after illegally detaining Migrant Justice member Lorenzo Alcudia and turning him over to Border Patrol. Last week, in a six hour meeting to hammer out the final policy, Lorenzo (pictured below) confronted police and Border Patrol over his mistreatment.

"I lived and worked near the border for years," Lorenzo said, "and I can tell you that we are afraid to leave our farms to buy groceries or go to the doctor. We need to stop the targeting of immigrants by police."

Grand Isle Sheriff pays nearly $30,000 settlement in discrimination case

State’s bias-free policing policy under review

A Vermont Sheriff’s Department recently paid out a nearly $30,000 settlement stemming from discriminatory treatment against an immigrant dairy worker, who was turned over to Border Patrol after a traffic stop in which he was a passenger.  As the state looks to update its bias-free policing policies, many warn that inadequate policy could open more departments to liability.

VICTOR DIAZ TO BE RELEASED FROM IMMIGRATION CUSTODY

Thousands support detained human rights leader

Check out this great piece from Huffington Post on how the Worker-Driven-Social Responsibility model, developed by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, is being adapted to Vermont through the Milk with Dignity Program to secure the human rights of dairy workers:

"There are days of winds, days of fury and days of tears.  But there are also days of love that give us the courage to carry on." - Victor Diaz

TAKE ACTION TO STOP THE DEPORTATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS LEADER VICTOR DIAZ. 

Sign and share this #Not1More Petition to stop Victor's deportation!

Migrant Justice leader Victor Diaz was arrested on Thursday, April 21st by undercover ICE agents outside a Mexican cultural event in Stowe, VT.  He had returned the day before from a national gathering of the Food Chain Workers Alliance in Los Angeles, representing Vermont farmworkers in an effort to build a unified movement for fair food.

Victor is a dairy farmworker in Vermont and a nationally-recognized human rights leader.  Two years ago, he reached out to Migrant Justice after enduring years of inhumane conditions on a Vermont dairy farm. Farmworkers and allies joined forces to march on the farm and won back $1,800 in stolen wages.  

Read more about Victor's case and the growing efforts to free him in the full post!

They were all at Migrant Justice last weekend for a historic tri-state gathering of agricultural workers.

Immigrant workers from New York, Maine, and Vermont gathered together to share organizing models and build solidarity across industries and state lines.  Members of Mano en Mano (Maine), Workers’ Center of Central New York (Syracuse), Nuestra Voz de la Comunidad (Maine), and the Worker Justice Center of New York packed the Migrant Justice office over the weekend to hear from Vermont dairy workers about our game-changing Milk with Dignity program.

Migrant Justice inspired our guests with the history of the Milk with Dignity campaign and its potential to transform the dairy industry.  "In the Milk with Dignity program, workers hold corporations accountable to guarantee their human rights are protected through the supply chain," said Migrant Justice leader Kike Balcazar.  And this spring, we are sharing this same message around the country.  

Last month brought us to the national Jobs with Justice conference in Washington, D.C. and a meeting of the Worker-Driven Social Responsibility Collaborative in NYC.  And next month we’ll be presenting at the summit of the Food Chain Worker’s Alliance in Los Angeles and the national Labor Notes conference in Chicago.

Whether we are bringing people to Vermont or taking our message on the road, Migrant Justice is being recognized as a national leader in the movement to create dignified work and housing for immigrant farmworkers!

Read the full article for a complete photo report of the weekend!

Join us on Friday, September 11th to hear the world-renowned Villalobos Brothers play live!!! Doors open at 7PM, and the concert starts at 8PM at the Old Labor Hall in Barre, VT! There will be incredible music, delicious food, ice-cold drinks, and lots and lots of dancing!! 

***November 2016 Campaign Update: Migrant Justice and Ben & Jerry's agreed in May 2015 to work together to operationalize the Milk with Dignity Program in the Ben & Jerry's Supply Chain and have been working steadily towards that goal ever since!

"Congratulations to everyone! We are a strong team. We have seen that we have a lot of power! By organizing and defining what we want we achieved this big step forward as workers. ¡Si Se Puede!"

-Jessica Ramirez, Migrant Justice Farmworker Coordinating Committee

Last week was an amazing week for Vermont dairy workers’ movement!

If you haven’t heard already we reached an important agreement with Ben & Jerry’s on the evening before 17 Milk with Dignity solidarity actions were planned at scoop shops across the nation!

This is a major step forward towards securing the fundamental human rights of farmworkers in Ben & Jerry’s supply chain. The heart of our agreement reads:

“This document represents Ben & Jerry’s commitment to work with Migrant Justice towards a written agreement to further detail and realize the essential elements of Migrant Justice’s Milk with Dignity program that will be adopted within Ben & Jerry’s Northeast dairy supply chain."

Photo by Pat Jackson.