Migrant Justice in the State House: Housing Access for Immigrant Families

On January 10th, Migrant Justice kicked off the 2025 legislative session in the Vermont State House by calling on elected officials to remove the discriminatory barriers that keep immigrant families stuck in substandard housing. 

Hundreds of immigrant families are moving to Vermont looking to make the state their new home. And increasingly, long-time dairy workers are moving off the farms and into new jobs in other industries. This often means moving out of employer-provided housing and looking for an apartment for the first time. But many landlords refuse to rent to workers and their families because of their immigration status, leaving them out in the cold. 

The difficulties that immigrant workers face finding housing are particularly cruel, given that many are working in the construction industry building housing themselves. At the State House press conference, former dairy worker and current construction worker José Ignacio illustrated the point.

“Every time we build a new house in Vermont, it brings me great pride to know we’ve put a roof above somebody’s head. It’s my dream, one day, that the houses that we are building are open for our own community to live in.”

Migrant Justice has proposed the “Housing Access for Immigrant Families” bill, which would address housing discrimination in two ways. First, it would add immigration status as a protected class in the state’s Fair Housing laws, meaning that landlords can’t refuse to rent to someone just because of their status. Second, it would ensure that landlords accept any form of government-issued ID for housing applications instead of asking for a Social Security Number.

In the opening days of the legislative session, dozens of workers and allies gathered at the state capitol to launch the campaign for housing access. After a warm welcome from community leader Cristian, José Ignacio took to the podium, sharing his family’s struggle to find housing in Vermont.

“When I left the dairy farm, I tried to rent a dignified home for my family, but no one accepted our application. It didn’t matter that we could pay the rent, all that mattered was the Social Security Number. Whether it’s because you don’t have a Social Security Number or because you don’t speak English, your application and you are ignored. We were pressured to find work that provided housing and accept dangerous working conditions and human rights abuses because we didn’t have access to other housing.” 

Migrant Justice member Yari spoke next, baby in her arms. As her daughter reached for the microphone, she shared the struggles her family faced when trying to find housing:

“We applied for many homes with several different companies, but no one paid us any attention or returned our calls. I believe that it was because we don’t have Social Security Numbers. I had just had my baby, and not having a safe, peaceful, and dignified home for my daughter hurt. We ask for a change in the law of the state so not having a Social Security Number is not a barrier to accessing dignified, safe, and healthy housing in Vermont”

The press conference closed with remarks from State Representative Leonora Dodge and Amanda Garces of the Vermont Human Rights Commission. The two highlighted the vital role that immigrants play in Vermont – not just as workers bolstering our economy but also as friends, neighbors, and community members – and the need for immediate action by the legislature. Garces summed it up: “To the policymakers, we urge: be bold, be just. This legislation is an opportunity to align our laws with our values.” Participants then broke up into teams and went office-to-office, table-to-table to speak directly with legislators and urge their support for the bill.

The day’s events were picked up by press from around the state, with a stream of coverage online, in the papers, on TV, and over the radio. Reporters from Vermont’s press corps shared the powerful testimonies of immigrant community members, making clear why Vermont must take action to address housing discrimination.

Migrant Justice will be back in the halls of the State House over the next several months, providing testimony and speaking with legislators. Stay tuned for ways to add your voice to the call for Housing Access for Immigrant Families!