Migrant Justice Justicia Migrante

In 2017, when Donald Trump took the presidency and made attacks against immigrant communities and “Sanctuary Cities” a cornerstone of his administration, Vermont policy-makers and law enforcement officials buckled under the threats and watered down protections for immigrant rights in the state. After years of pressure from Migrant Justice – and with the threat of another Trump presidency looming – the state has now reversed course and strengthened policy. While the changes still leave out some key protections, they represent a significant victory for immigrant rights in Vermont.

We celebrate this achievement while recognizing that the changes fall short of what immigrant communities need and deserve. Our focus now turns towards implementation, to ensure that law enforcement agencies properly adopt, train to, and hold officers accountable to the updated policy. No actions can undo the harm caused by past collaboration, but the new policy will be a key tool to protect immigrant rights in Vermont in the years to come.

Read more to learn about new protections in Vermont’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy!

This year’s Mayday action at Hannaford Supermarket was a huge success! From 7am to 11pm, farmworkers and allies picketed, rallied, marched, and chanted, calling on Hannaford customers to refrain from shopping at the store. The response was overwhelming: hundreds of potential customers respected the picket line and turned away, decreasing Hannaford’s sales at its Williston location by double digits.

The action on International Workers’ Day felt like a full-day festival. Throughout the day, farmworkers were joined on the picket line by union members, faith communities, farmers, and students: nuns, high schoolers, and nurses all chanted together, calling for Milk with Dignity. Farmworkers delivered homemade meals of tamales, empanadas, and barbacoa, keeping the ralliers fed. Bread & Puppet brought a massive puppet, and brass bands provided musical accompaniment. Picketers cooled off with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream (from Milk with Dignity farms!), and a cow with a Mayday garland of daffodils made an appearance.

Read more to see the full photo-report!

Migrant Justice is back from The Netherlands, the home base of Hannaford´s parent company Ahold Delhaize. After a packed trip of meetings with Ahold workers, labor unions, civil society organizations, and academics, we are building momemtum in the Milk with Dignity campaign. With newfound support in Europe, we are calling on Hannaford to address human rights violations in its supply chain and join Milk with Dignity.

Next up: May 1st, International Workers Day! This Mayday, for the first time, farmworkers are calling for a one-day boycott to protest the company’s refusal to stop abuses on the farms behind Hannaford-brand milk. 

Workers and allies will hold a full-day picket of the Hannaford Supermarket in Williston, Vermont. Join us!

Read more to get the details!

April 10th was a major day for the Milk with Dignity campaign. Around Vermont, across the country, and in Europe, Migrant Justice and allies took action to stand up for the rights and dignity of dairy workers.

Farmworkers led three surprise actions at Hannaford stores, gathering to speak with managers and educate customers about conditions in the company’s supply chain. Workers handed out informative leaflets and urged store managers to speak with company executives on the need for Milk with Dignity.

Meanwhile, hundreds of customers and allies contacted the office of Hannaford President Mike Vail directly, voicing their support for Milk with Dignity and calling on the company to sit down with farmworkers. Over 400 people called throughout the day!

And finally, a Migrant Justice delegation arrived in The Netherlands, the home of Hannaford parent company Ahold Delhaize!

Read more to see a full photo-report from the day of action.

A Migrant Justice delegation has arrived in Amsterdam and is now entering the shareholder meeting of Ahold Delhaize to call for Milk with Dignity. Simultaneously, farmworkers are leading surprise actions at Hannaford stores around the region, educating consumers about the abuses in Hannaford´s supply chain and demanding a worker-led solution.

Add your voice! Join with thousands of allies who have called Hannaford's headquarters to show their support for Milk with Dignity. Make your call today!

End of day update: Over 400 calls to Hannaford Supermarkets!

This week, Migrant Justice will travel to The Netherlands to join a meeting of Ahold Delhaize – the multinational corporation that owns Hannaford Supermarkets – and call for Milk with Dignity. While corporate executives and company shareholders meet to celebrate $100 billion in annual sales, we will urge them to invest in a worker-led solution to human rights abuses in their supply chain.

On Wednesday, Migrant Justice representatives will challenge Ahold Delhaize on Hannaford’s ongoing refusal to address human rights violations in its dairy supply chain. As Ahold seeks to tout its human rights commitments – including the implementation of new “Standards of Engagement” setting expectations for its suppliers – Migrant Justice will share the reality of workers’ experiences on farms producing Hannaford-brand milk.

Read more to get the full story!

On April 10th, the Board of Directors and top executives of Ahold Delhaize, the multinational conglomerate that owns Hannaford Supermarkets, will gather in Amsterdam for their annual shareholder meeting – and Migrant Justice will be in town to meet them!

A delegation from Migrant Justice will make the journey from Vermont to the Netherlands to meet face-to-face with Ahold’s corporate leaders. Along the way, we will build alliances with Dutch labor unions, immigrant rights organizations, investors, and civil society groups to put pressure on Hannaford’s parent company and build support for Milk with Dignity.

This trip represents a new frontier in the Milk with Dignity campaign and sends a clear message to Hannaford that farmworkers are more committed than ever to push the company to get with the program and join Milk with Dignity. As we chant on the picket line: “Hannaford, listen up! Farmworkers aren’t giving up!

Read more to see the latest excuses from Hannaford and learn what’s really happening on their farms.

Immigrant leaders recently returned to the Vermont State House to fight for more equitable and inclusive policies. With the 2024 legislative session at the halfway point, Migrant Justice continues to push for new laws that will stop discrimination and expand access to housing, healthcare, labor rights and higher education. Many of you have contacted your legislators to support these initiatives, and this pressure is having an impact!

On March 14th, over a dozen Migrant Justice members traveled from around Vermont to spend the day in the state capitol. Members joined up with ally organizations, spoke with legislators, provided committee testimony, and were formally recognized on the floor of the House of Representatives, receiving a standing ovation from the assembled lawmakers in appreciation of the years of courageous organizing to make Vermont a better state.

Read more for a photo-report from our recent day at the State House and an update on where things stand in the legislature!

Throughout the day on February 21st, hundreds of Milk with Dignity 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 campaign, Hannaford has received thousands of calls from customers and others 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 see how Hannaford is responding to pressure from farmworkers and consumers demanding Milk with Dignity!

End of day update: more than 400 calls made to Hannaford HQ supporting Milk with Dignity!

Farmworkers paid a Valentine’s Day visit to Hannaford Supermarkets to urge the grocery chain to join the Milk with Dignity Program. For weeks, workers have been making valentines to customers to educate them about conditions in Hannaford’s supply chain. On February 14th, we delivered those messages.

This afternoon, a group of farmworkers and allies distributed valentines at a Hannaford store. Heart-shaped fact sheets described the conditions faced by workers on farms producing Hannaford-brand milk, and workers wrote handwritten notes on the back calling on Hannaford to take action. Farmworkers distributed hearts throughout the store before coming together to deliver a message to the store manager.

February 14th also marks the launch of a new farmworker survey on labor and housing conditions in the dairy industry. In the coming months, a team of farmworkers – with support from the University of Massachusetts Labor Center – will travel across Vermont and surrounding states to interview fellow workers about their experiences on dairy farms.

Read more to get the full story!