Latest news with #MigrantJustice
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Judge in Texas frees one Vermont farm worker on bond; denies bail to two others
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) — An immigration judge has released one Vermont dairy worker detained last month by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement, but denied bail to two others who will remain in custody in Texas. Jose Edilberto Molina-Aguilar was ordered released Thursday from an immigration processing center in Karnes County, Texas. He is one of eight workers at Pleasant Valley Farms in Berkshire who were detained by ICE on April 21. Four of the workers have already been deported to Mexico. Two other farmworkers held in detention – Jesus Mendez Hernandez and Adrian Zunun-Joachin – were denied bond and will remain in custody in Texas, Migrant Justice said. Over the weekend, another worker detained on April 21, Diblaim Maximo Sargento-Morales, returned to Vermont after being released by a Massachusetts judge on May 17. Meanwhile, a farm worker detained by border patrol agents during a traffic stop last month was released today from a federal prison in Berlin, New Hampshire, Migrant Justice says. Arbey Lopez-Lopez was pulled over by Border Patrol on April 9 while delivering groceries to a farm. He was ordered released Monday by an immigration judge, the group says. The advocacy group Migrant Justice says Molina-Aguilar's bond will be paid by the Vermont Freedom Fund. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
One Vermont farmworker ordered to be released, may return to Vt. 'in the coming days'
BURLINGTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – One of the three detained farmworkers expected to appear for hearings today has been ordered to be released, according to nonprofit organization Migrant Justice. An immigration judge in Massachusetts heard the case of Diblaim Maximo Sargento-Morales, and set his bond to the lowest possible amount of $1,500. Migrant Justice claims that he 'will likely be released and return to Vermont in the coming days.' A separate judge reportedly declined to hear bond release motions for Arbey Lopez-Lopez and Jose Edilberto Molina-Aguilar. It was ruled Thursday that Molina-Aguilar's hearing should be in Texas, but legal council objected. Both Sargento-Morales and Molina-Aguilar were among the eight people detained at Pleasant Valley Farms in Berkshire, last month. Lopez-Lopez, who was detained April 9 separately from the Pleasant Valley farmworkers, will now have his case heard Monday. Judge releases on bail the Turkish Tufts University student who was detained by ICE Migrant Justice Spokesperson Rossy Alfaro voiced concerns about both postponed hearings, which they say 'will only cause more harm to José and Arbey, and their community' in-state. 'We're excited to see Max back home very soon. At the same time, we are disappointed in the judge's decision to postpone the other two hearings… We remain hopeful that all the detained members of our community will soon be freed.' Migrant Justice also revealed that a fourth individual detained in Franklin County has been sent to Mexico. His name is Juan Javier Rodriguez-Gomez. ABC22/FOX44 previously reported that three people, all detained from Berkshire, had been deported. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Baltimore-area organizations to participate in nationwide "May Day" protests
Baltimore-area organizations to participate in nationwide "May Day" protests Baltimore-area organizations to participate in nationwide "May Day" protests Baltimore-area organizations to participate in nationwide "May Day" protests Baltimore-area organizations are expected to rally Thursday for May Day, protesting recent policy changes by the Trump Organization. May Day, which is also referred to as International Workers' Day is observed by workers annually, but this year some say that changes by the federal government have attacked healthcare, jobs, immigrant rights, and student protections. Where is the rally? The main rally is expected to occur at McKeldin Square in Downtown Baltimore at 5:30 p.m. Who is participating? Organizations including the Baltimore Teacher Union, Baltimore NAACP, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. Several marches by various organizations are expected to take place before the main rally, and converge at McKeldin Square by 5:30 p.m: 3:30 PM: Baltimore Teachers Union @ 5800 Metro Drive 21215 4:00 PM: Hands Off Our Students & Faculty! @ Penn Station 4:00 PM: 99 vs 1 March @ City Hall 4:00 PM: Cultural Workers March @ Enoch Pratt Central Library 4:00 PM: March for Palestine @ McKeldin Plaza 4:30 PM: Family & Kids March for Justice @ Rash Field 4:30 PM: March for Migrant Justice @ Columbus Park 4:30 PM: March for Worker Justice @ Camden Yards (Eutaw Street) What prompted the rallies? Recent changes by the Trump administration have sparked controversy among residents in Baltimore, and the greater Maryland area. Last month, protestors gathered outside Baltimore City Hall as part of the "Hands Off!" movement - which comes in protest of recent efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce. Those efforts have included staffing cuts at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Social Security Administration. Maryland is home to approximately 160,000 federal civilian employees, which represents 6% of all state jobs, according to the governor's office. Other controversial issues that have been discussed due to recent federal changes have included immigration policies and LGBTQ+ rights.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
CBP agents detain workers at Vermont dairy farm, Migrant Justice calls for their release
BERKSHIRE, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents detained eight workers from a Vermont dairy farm, Migrant Justice reports. The organization says that this group was detained by armed agents in Franklin County Monday afternoon. They are currently being held at the Northwest State Correctional Facility in Swanton. Of the eight detained, one is in asylum proceedings. Migrant Justice identified the farmworkers arrested as: Jesus Mendez Hernandez (25 years old) Juan Javier Rodriguez-Gomez (41 years old) Luis Enrique Gomez-Aguilar (28 years old) Urillas Sargento (32 years old) Diblaim Maximo Sargento-Morales (30 years old) Adrian Zunun-Joachin (22 years old) Jose Edilberto Molina-Aguilar (37 years old) Dani Alvarez-Perez (22 years old) ABC22/FOX44 later confirmed that this incident occurred at Pleasant Valley Farms, which is owned by the family of Jamie St. Pierre, husband to local Olympic athlete Ellie St. Pierre. In an email to ABC22/FOX44, Pleasant Valley owner Amanda St. Pierre said the business does not know 'the details or reasons at this time.' 'On April 21, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents detained several of our employees. We do not know the details or reasons at this time. We have cooperated fully with their instructions. Our employees were hired following the federal and state employment requirements. We remain supportive of our employees and appreciative of the valuable role they play in our community performing essential work on our farm. We hope this matter is resolved quickly.' Detained Palestinian activist in Vermont prison says he's 'in good hands' Vermont Governor Phil Scott released a statement Tuesday, and noted that his team is working to learn the 'circumstances and facts'. He also noted that President Donald Trump and Congress need to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Scott said 'migrant workers are an essential part of our communities. They are our neighbors and friends, have kids in our schools, shop at our businesses, and play an important role in our economy and workforce.' Migrant Justice has called for the release of those detained, saying that this incident is 'a violation of their human rights'. In a release, they called this 'the largest single immigration enforcement actions against farmworkers – and one of the largest worksite enforcement actions – in recent Vermont history.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hannaford began review of dairy sourcing days before human rights complaint
Apr. 18—Hannaford Supermarkets is reviewing its dairy supply chain for possible worker and human rights violations following years of criticism by activists who say the company's milk is partially sourced from farms with substandard working conditions. The review, part of a multiyear plan the grocer's parent unveiled in 2020, began the first week of April, said George Parmenter, a former Hannaford employee who is currently consulting for the company. A third-party auditor, Enact, is overseeing the investigation, he said. The idea of the report "is to get a credible assessment from a third party that doesn't have any stake," Parmenter said. "The straight scoop on what are the conditions on the ground?" He estimated that the final report would be available in the late summer at the earliest. Hannaford's review began just days before a farm worker advocacy group filed a human rights complaint against its parent company, Ahold Delhaize, on April 7. Organizers with Migrant Justice, a Vermont-based farmers' rights group, attended the parent company's annual shareholder meeting in the Netherlands, where they announced that Migrant Justice had filed a complaint with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, a Paris-based intergovernmental group founded in 1961. The multigovernmental organization analyzes government, trade and business policies and offers standards designed to "level the playing field" among nations, according to its website. Both the Netherlands and United States are member nations. Though the OECD does not have enforcement authority, it can open an investigation, issue recommendations and act as a mediator between Ahold Delhaize and Migrant Justice, said Will Lambek, a staff member with Migrant Justice. He cautioned that an OECD investigation would likely take months to complete. "This will be a long process. But our hope is that this complaint won't be necessary, and that Ahold will avoid the expense and the reputational risk of an international human rights complaint by sitting down with workers in good faith," Lambek said during a phone call from the Netherlands, where Lambek said he and other advocates attended Ahold Delhaize's annual shareholder meeting. Lambek said Hannaford's assessment "is a very positive step," but he said workers would not be satisfied with any review unless it leads to a meaningful change in Hannaford's practices and on-farm conditions. View this document on Scribd Hannaford credited Migrant Justice with raising the issue of workers' rights. "Frankly, in retrospect, we appreciate the fact that Migrant Justice raised this issue for us, and that it became an opportunity to shine a light on the industry and our supply chain, so that we can learn what may or may not be happening," spokesperson Ericka Dodge said in an interview. Even so, Hannaford representatives repeatedly emphasized the company's commitment to human rights in an interview, and they also stressed that the Scarborough-based chain is several layers removed from the farms that produce its milk and has little to no direct contact with individual farms. Hannaford operates more than 180 stores and employs more than 30,000 associates, according to Ahold Delhaize. "It's like we're caught in the middle without any real, credible knowledge of what's happening in our supply chain. And that's what the human rights impact assessment is meant to address. So for us, we think it's a watershed event," Parmenter said. Parmenter said it was too early into the process to say what, if any, enforcement mechanisms Hannaford could use to address bad actors. He said the review depends on mutual trust between Hannaford, its suppliers and its upstream farms, and that discussion of corrective actions could undermine the process. "What we can commit to unequivocally is whatever that report says, there will be an action plan in place to address those things," Parmenter said. YEARS IN THE MAKING For years, Migrant Justice has charged that farms across New England, including some in Hannaford's supply chain, violate workers' rights. The complaint before OECD alleges inadequate living conditions and privacy among workers, forced labor, discrimination, and unsafe working conditions. The group has called upon Hannaford and dairy consumers to join its Milk with Dignity program, opting into a third-party code of conduct that requires farm owners to properly record and pay overtime, provide healthy and safe conditions, and to offer time away, among other commitments. Though the group lists more than 50 member farms, that's a fraction of the total number of dairy farms in New England, Parmenter said. Hannaford's milk is processed by HP Hood, which sources from several farm co-ops, which themselves deal directly with hundreds of farmers, he said. New England is home to roughly 800 dairy farms, according to industry group New England Dairy. Both Hannaford's impact assessment and the OECD's investigation into Migrant Justice's complaint will take months to complete before any findings or recommendations can be reported. "Meanwhile, Hannaford continues to work with its suppliers to assess farms within its supply chain and to ensure continued compliance with Ahold Delhaize's Standards of Engagement," Dodge, the Hannaford spokesperson, said in a written statement. Those standards include requiring suppliers to "ensure that all workers are treated fairly, with respect and dignity," that workers log no more than 48 regular hours each week and that they are paid at least minimum wage and given overtime differentials when appropriate, among others. The latest draft, implemented in January 2024, allows Ahold Delhaize to sever any relationships until violations are resolved — but suppliers themselves are charged with investigating and correcting any issues, and it is their responsibility to inform Ahold Delhaize of any potential issues. Additionally, if Ahold Delhaize receives any complaints about a supplier directly, those issues "will be communicated to the supplier to be addressed and remediated." Lambek argued that Ahold Delhaize's policy relies too heavily on individual farm owners — who may themselves be the subject of complaints — to hear, report and address grievances. "Simply put, standards without enforcement are meaningless," Lambek said. Copy the Story Link
