Migrant Justice Justicia Migrante

On Monday evening, armed Border Patrol agents entered a Vermont dairy farm and detained eight farmworkers. This is the largest single immigration arrest of farmworkers – and one of the largest worksite arrests – in recent Vermont history. The eight workers are now held in detention and at risk of deportation.

Jesús, Juan, Luis, Urillas, Max, Adrian, José, and Dani are all dairy workers living and working in Franklin County. Ranging from 22 to 41 years old, they came to Vermont to work on a dairy farm searching for a better life for themselves and their families. For this, they are now being held behind bars.

Read more and sign the petition to free the farmworkers!

The Milk with Dignity campaign is moving forward! Farmworkers’ next planned action is a full-day picket of Hannaford Supermarkets on May 1st, International Workers’ Day. Dairy workers and allies will picket the Hannaford in Williston, VT from open to close, urging consumers not to shop there in solidarity with workers’ demands for Milk with Dignity.

Join us on the picket line on 5/1 any time from the store’s opening at 7am to its closing at 11pm! At 5pm, community groups will gather at a nearby park (28 Walnut St, Williston) before marching past the offices of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and joining workers at the Hannaford for a large rally at 7pm.

Read more to get all the details on the upcoming action!

Migrant Justice has had a breakthrough week in the long-running campaign to bring Hannaford Supermarket into the Milk with Dignity Program. From the Hannaford headquarters in Maine, to the shareholder meeting of parent company Ahold Delhaize in the Netherlands, farmworkers have made their voices heard.

The escalation of pressure is having an impact. Responding to Migrant Justice’s campaign, the company has announced a comprehensive “Human Rights Impact Assessment” of the conditions in its dairy supply chain, which will include interviews with farmworkers and a review of the Milk with Dignity Program. And after five years encountering consistent refusals to meet, Migrant Justice had its first meeting with a company executive to begin a dialog about Milk with Dignity.

These steps are a recognition of the collective power of workers and consumers demanding justice, but now is not the time to let up the pressure! Assessments and meetings are just the first step; farmworkers aren’t celebrating until Hannaford joins the Program.

Read more to get the full story!

Migrant Justice packed the Vermont State House to demand Housing Access for Immigrant Families. The campaign against housing discrimination is heating up, as immigrants and allies rallied in the State House, legislators heard testimony, constituents flooded the phone lines, and over 1,600 of you sent emails to your senators and representatives.

The Housing Access proposal continues to move forward, with a pared down version having passed the Senate as part of a larger housing bill (S.127) and the full bill receiving multiple hearings in a House committee (H.169). There is serious momentum behind the campaign, but the bill is also running into roadblocks from banks, landlords, and those who want to preserve the ability to deny housing to immigrant families.

Take a moment to email your legislator today to demand Housing Access for Immigrant Families!

Read more to see the full photo-report from the State House action!

In recent months, we have reported out on a campaign this legislative session to expand housing access for immigrant families in Vermont. Migrant Justice has developed a proposal – supported by dozens of organizations and sponsored by over forty legislators – to stop discrimination against immigrants and prevent landlords from asking about immigration status.

We are excited to announce that the proposal is moving forward. A pared down version was included in a larger housing bill that passed out of the Senate and has moved on to the House of Representatives. And the proposal in its original form is now receiving hearings in a House committee.

Join us in the State House on 4/1 to rally for Housing Access for Immigrant Families! The day will kick off at 11am with a press conference, followed by an afternoon hearing starting at 1pm.

Read more to learn about the proposal for Housing Access for Immigrant Families!

Throughout the day on March 27th, hundreds of supporters will flood Hannaford's phone lines to urge the company to join Milk with Dignity. Make your call now!

Over the course of the Milk with Dignity campaign, Hannaford has received thousands of calls from customers in solidarity with the human rights of farmworkers. These calls – along with thousands of customer emails; endorsement letters from faith communities, shareholders, and civil society organizations; and dozens of farmworker-led protests – have forced Hannaford to respond.

Read more to get the full story and learn about the Hannaford consumer pledge!

End of day update: over 300 calls made!

In a few short weeks, Migrant Justice will return to the Netherlands – home of Hannaford Supermarket’s parent company – to bring the demand for Milk with Dignity to their doorstep. Multinational grocery giant Ahold Delhaize will hold its Annual General Meeting of company shareholders, and Migrant Justice will be in the room to call on the corporation to take accountability for the human rights violations in Hannaford’s dairy supply chain.

Read more to learn about the upcoming trip!

The Vermont legislature is considering a bill to expand housing access for immigrant families. Developed by Migrant Justice and supported by dozens of organizations and agencies, the proposal​​ would stop discrimination against immigrants and prevent landlords from asking about immigration status.

Vermont's legislators need to hear from you! Take a moment to email your Senators and Representatives to voice your support for Housing Access for Immigrant Families.

Read more to learn more about this campaign!

This has been a busy month for Migrant Justice. We are moving forward the fight for justice and human rights on all fronts, whether in the Vermont State House advancing a bill to expand housing access for immigrant families, in the press announcing the launch of the Building Dignity and Respect Program in the state’s construction industry, or on the streets responding to the increase in immigration surveillance and arrests.

Every day brings more news out of Washington of renewed attacks against immigrant rights. Employers take advantage of heightened fear and insecurity to abuse immigrant workers. At a local sawmill, for example, ten immigrant workers organized to demand long-promised raises and an end to abuses in employee housing; rather than meet with his employees, the boss summarily fired his workers and attempted to throw them out of their homes. And in the dairy industry, the need to expand Milk with Dignity to protect the rights of farmworkers has never been greater.

Today, supporters are making calls to Hannaford Supermarket to demand Milk with Dignity. Make your call now!

Read more to learn about more steps to support the campaign for Milk with Dignity!

End of day update: over 250 confirmed calls!

Vermont Construction Company – one of the largest and fastest-growing builders in the state – has committed to join a program setting labor and housing standards for construction workers. The Building Dignity and Respect Program will soon provide enforceable rights protections for the hundreds of workers on Vermont Construction sites.

On January 27th, dozens of construction workers gathered in the headquarters of Vermont Construction to witness the signing of the agreement of cooperation. Migrant Justice leader and construction worker José Ignacio, company president David Richards, and Doug Mork – Director of the Building Dignity and Respect Standards Council – addressed the assembled journalists and supporters. Then, to raucous applause, each worker passed to the front to add their name to the accord, signalling the community’s commitment to bring Building Dignity to Vermont. 

Read more to see the news coverage from the recent announcement and learn about how immigrant workers – from Florida, to Vermont, to Minnesota – made this possible!