Immigrant Rights

The freedom of movement is a fundamental human right, whether it’s the right to cross a border in search of a better life, or to drive to the store without fear of arrest. No human being is illegal. Migrant Justice fights to secure the right to live free from fear and discrimination.

#Not1More Deportation

“My freedom is proof of the power of an organized community” - Jose Luis Cordova

Mass deportation and the criminalization of immigrants are inhumane policies that terrorize communities, separate families, and make workers more vulnerable to exploitation. Border Patrol and ICE agents blanket Vermont, arresting immigrants in front of their homes, on the street, or at the supermarket.

Migrant Justice organizes to stop deportations and to free immigrants from detention. Through public campaigns, we have won the release and prevented the deportation of many members of our community, including: Danilo, Eliazar, Victor, Miguel, Enrique and Zully, Yesenia and Esau, Jose Luis, Alejandro, Eli, Beto, Ismael, Wuendy, and many more. We continue to fight to protect our community from deportation and to win full rights and equality for all immigrants.

Protect the right to organize

“With this settlement, we have shown that we won’t back down in the face of ICE’s abuses. They have tried to silence us by terrorizing our community and targeting our leaders, but we are here today to say that we will not be silenced,” - Victor Diaz

As Migrant Justice rose to greater prominence, we caught the attention of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Beginning in 2016, the agency began a campaign of targeted retaliation against us, surveilling the organization – including through the use of confidential informants – detaining our key leadership, and deporting dozens of members.

We fought back, filing a lawsuit against the federal government in 2018 to stop the agency’s unlawful violations of farmworkers’ First Amendment rights. The lawsuit settled successfully two years later, with ICE dropping deportation cases against the plaintiffs, paying compensation, and committing to respect the right to freedom of speech and assembly by ceasing the targeting of Migrant Justice and our membership.

ICE’s targeting of Migrant Justice was part of a trend of attacks against community organizations and leaders. We joined with other targeted groups to pressure the government and in 2021 won new federal policy protecting the rights of those organizing to defend their rights. The following year, the “Migrant Justice 10” – all farmworker leaders in deportation proceedings – filed to stop their deportations and remain in the United States. Many have since won their cases, while others are continuing to fight for their right to remain.

No Más Polimigra

“We want Vermont to be a state that welcomes immigrants, where we don’t live in fear, where we can work freely without being afraid to go to the store, where families won’t be scared to bring their children to school.” - David Diaz

Migrant Justice is organizing to ensure that police are not in the business of deportations. The “Polimigra” – collaboration between local police and immigration agents – is a key tool in the policy of mass deportation that is terrorizing our community. Migrant Justice has fought alongside allies to pass successive laws mandating that all law enforcement agencies in Vermont adopt “Fair and Impartial Policing” policies.

Due to the courageous organizing of immigrants in the state, Vermont’s policy is among the strongest in the nation. Where it was once commonplace that traffic stops would result in a call to Border Patrol, most departments now understand that immigration issues are outside their authority. Migrant Justice continues to organize to strengthen the state’s Fair and Impartial Policing policy and to encourage local departments to go beyond state requirements and create a firewall between local officers and federal deportation agents.

Driving Towards Human Rights

In 2013, Vermont’s general assembly overwhelmingly passed a law allowing access to driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status. The law represented two years of organizing and alliance building courageously led by immigrant farmworkers, who became a fixture at the Vermont State House during the campaign. Since the law’s passage, thousands have gotten licenses. Workers and families who once lived in total isolation, with no ability to leave their farms, can now drive to the store, to the park, or to visit family.

Migrant Justice is now working to ensure that members of our community are able to obtain licenses without discrimination or fear of retaliation. After the law’s passage, Migrant Justice discovered rampant racism at the DMV, including routine sharing of applicants’ information with immigration agents. Alongside the ACLU of Vermont, we successfully stopped most forms of collusion, yet we continue to fight to ensure that the law is implemented as intended and that all Vermont residents may fully access their right to freedom of movement.