Migrant Justice Justicia Migrante

Migrant Justice is excited to announce a number of important human rights victories in recent months. Despite their role as essential workers, immigrant farmworkers are criminalized by the government and targeted for deportation. But through Migrant Justice, farmworkers are fighting back to stop their deportations and defend their community from attack.

José Ángel, a member of the “Migrant Justice 10” who petitioned ICE last year to stop their deportations, is the first of the group to win his case. He is no longer subject to deportation and can continue to live, work, and organize in Vermont!

Wuendy Bernardo was told last year that she would have to leave the country by April or face detention and deportation. She has received an outpouring of support – most recently through a letter signed by 67 Vermont state legislators – and has been granted a temporary reprieve from deportation while her petition is pending.

And Luis Ulloa, who was turned over to Border Patrol by a local sheriff’s deputy and subsequently deported, has settled his discrimination claim. The sheriff department has had to pay monetary compensation, and police agencies around the state have been put on notice that there are consequences for collaborating with federal deportation agents.

Read More to get the full story!

On February 15th, a farmworker delegation visited the Hannaford Supermarkets corporate headquarters in Scarborough, ME. For weeks, Migrant Justice had let the company know about our planned visit and requested a sit-down meeting. When we arrived, workers were met with security guards and excuses. Hannaford kept the doors shut and refused to meet with farmworkers.

Hannaford is trying to hide from its responsibility, but consumers aren’t fooled. The same day of the farmworker delegation, nearly 700 Milk with Dignity supporters called Hannaford President Mike Vail to express their solidarity with dairy workers. This was the largest call-in day ever – nearly double the number of calls that Hannaford has received on any previous day!

Click Read More to get the full story!

Over the past week, farmworkers have been counting down to today: a delegation from Migrant Justice is paying a visit to the corporate headquarters of Hannaford Supermarkets in Scarborough, Maine. We are knocking on their door and asking to sit down with company executives to discuss the Milk with Dignity Program.

As we arrive at Hannaford headquarters today, Milk with Dignity allies will be flooding their phone lines calling on the company to stamp out abuses on dairy farms supplying Hannaford-brand milk. Can you make a call today?

As 2022 comes to a close, we celebrate another year of progress in the fight for human rights and economic justice, while recommitting ourselves to the long road ahead. Since founding Migrant Justice, immigrant farmworkers have achieved more than they could have imagined – but we know that there is much work left to do.

We ended the year on a high note, with a spirited march through the snow leading to a boisterous rally in front of Hannaford Supermarkets. As Hannaford representatives once more threatened marchers with arrest, dairy workers stood firm and courageously shared testimonies about the atrocious conditions they experience in the company’s dairy supply chain.

Read more to see excerpts of workers complaints and a full photo-report of the latest march on Hannaford!

In October, we celebrated the fifth anniversary of the Milk with Dignity program. Five years have passed since we declared, at the historic signing of the first Milk with Dignity agreement, a “new day for human rights in the dairy industry.” And in those years, our achievements have surpassed the dreams of the farmworkers who conceived of and built Milk with Dignity.

The program has won unprecedented improvements in labor and housing conditions for hundreds of dairy workers and has secured protections for a workforce previously bereft of enforceable rights. Milk with Dignity has invested over $3.4 million in farmworker pay and benefits, and the worker-driven program has transformed the nature of work on dairy farms.

Make a donation to Migrant Justice to keep powering these human rights victories!

Despite these incredible achievements, our work is far from done. Milk with Dignity is protecting the rights of hundreds of farmworkers, but many others are still left out. That’s why we are fighting hard to expose abuses on farms outside the program and push companies to do the right thing, starting with grocery chain Hannaford Supermarket.

Ervin, who lives on a Milk with Dignity farm with his wife and daughter, spoke about his hopes for the future:

“We are achieving great things: dignified housing, a living wage, improvements in all areas of work. My message to dairy companies is that they pay attention to what’s happening here and join the program. If you do, there will be many more farms under Milk with Dignity and many more workers who get the benefits that we have now. We will see the fruits of the seeds we have planted today.”

Dairy workers led pickets in front of Hannaford Supermarkets throughout the month of October, demanding dignified treatment and the protection of their human rights. Inspired by farmworkers’ leadership, customers across the northeast mobilized to hold solidarity rallies outside their local Hannafords as well.

Now it’s your turn! Stand with farmworkers fighting for their rights by calling Hannaford today and demanding Milk with Dignity!

And click "Read More" to read about more shocking conditions in Hannaford's dairy supply chain.

End-of-day update: over 340 confirmed calls made to Hannaford!

On the evening of October 26th, over 100 farmworkers and allies came together for the final picket of the Milk with Dignity Month of Action. Throughout October, workers led weekly protests in front of Hannaford Supermarkets, calling on the grocery chain to address widespread labor abuses in its dairy supply chain by joining the Milk with Dignity Program.

Over the last four weeks, the farmworkers behind Hannaford-brand milk have been marching for their rights and dignity. Workers and consumers have picketed in front of the Hannaford Supermarkets on Shelburne Road in South Burlington – one of Vermont’s busiest thoroughfares –  to the approving honks and waves of those passing by. Allies have distributed leaflets to customers informing them of the human rights violations in Hannaford’s supply chains, and workers have bravely shared their testimonies of why the company must address those violations by joining Milk with Dignity.

Read more to check out the full photo-report from the farmworker picket at Hannaford Supermarkets and learn how to take action to support the campaign!

Last week’s picket of Hannaford Supermarkets brought the momentum of the Milk with Dignity Month of Action into its third week. Dozens of farmworkers and allies rallied, marched, and chanted, demanding that Hannaford take responsibility for abuses in its dairy supply chain and join the Milk with Dignity Program.

Join farmworkers on the picket line for the fourth and final action in the Milk with Dignity Month of Action: 10/26 at 5:30pm in South Burlington, VT! Follow the link to confirm your participation and get more details.

Read more to get the full photo-report from last week’s action and learn more about how farmworkers are fighting for their rights!