ASISTA has developed analysis and practice pointers on the new VAWA 2013 reauthorization provisions. Of particular interest to immigrant worker advocates is Congress’s inclusion of a new qualifying criminal activity for the purposes of a U visa, “fraud in foreign labor contracting,” under 18 U.S.C. Section 1351.

FILED UNDER: Immigration Reform | U visas

When Oscar heard that a poultry processing plant in Alabama was looking for workers, he thought he could apply the skills he learned from studying mechanical engineering in Cuba.

But after the 47-year-old arrived in Alabama from Miami, he was asked to fold chicken wings on the production line. Oscar had to fold them fast enough to meet a quota of approximately 40 chicken wings per minute – or roughly 18,000 wings per day.

“I did my job well,” he said. “But little did I know I was harming myself in the process. They don’t warn you that this can happen.”

After about a month, Oscar developed serious hand and wrist pain. He was diagnosed with tendinitis and carpal tunnel syndrome. When his injuries made him no longer useful to the company, he was fired.

Oscar’s story is all too common within the poultry industry, according to a new report released today by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice.

FILED UNDER: Agricultural Workers | Immigrant Workers | Legislation

Univision’s Preimer Impacto profiles the story of Adriana Moreno, a home care worker from Colombia, who was cheated out of her wages.  With the help of NELP and NY-based law firms Getman Sweeny and Abbey Spanier, Moreno has brought a class action lawsuit against her home care agency to recover her pay and bring justice for her and hundreds of her coworkers.

FILED UNDER: Domestic/Homecare Workers | Litigation

Employer Retaliation Against Immigrants Decried [LA Times]

The Right to (Look for) Work [NY Times]

McDonald’s Franchises in Pennsylvania Accused of Exploiting Student Guest Workers [Huffington Post]

New York Wants to Boost Food Manufacturing, but Will Communities Get a Raw Deal? [In These Times]

FILED UNDER: Immigrant Workers

New report reveals California immigrant workers are routinely subject to retaliation by employers

On Wednesday, March 6th at 10:30 am in Capitol Room 317, legislators, labor leaders and immigrant rights groups will call for stronger protections for California’s immigrant workers. At the press conference, the National Employment Law Center will be releasing a new report, Workers' Rights on ICE: How Immigration Reform Can Stop Retaliation and Advance Labor Rights--California, from that shows California’s immigrant workers are routinely subject to abuse and retaliation from unscrupulous employers.

FILED UNDER: Immigrant Workers | Immigration Reform | Legislation | Retaliation