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"For the first time we're not afraid"
December 8, 2018. In a hard-fought legal victory by blueberry workers, who sought justice for having been sprayed with pesticides by a plane, MLA clients say for the first time they are not afraid.  The group told the agency's Director, Teresa Hendricks, that they would be more likely to ask for legal help in the future, based on their experience in this case. "We know now that we can stand up for our rights, no matter what fear we have or who tries to intimidate us," said one of the women taken by ambulance to the emergency room. The clients were elated to receive large checks as compensation for damages from the incident. "No other agency or attorneys would help us," the group said, before MLA took on the representation and filed suit.

"We are so happy and grateful. We thought we had no rights. We don't have words to describe how it felt to have the attorneys fight for us. We are telling others that they shouldn't be afraid because we stood up for ourselves and won." 

Attorney Ben O'Hearn, pictured with clients, said "This was a unique type of lawsuit that involved the use of many expert witnesses, especially in the areas of toxicology, aerial spray application, neurology, pesticide exposure and causation." MLA's Molly Spaak, a law clerk, spent countless hours with the clients, and provided valuable  litigation support for the attorneys. F ormer MLA attorney Mariza Gamez Garcia is credited with initiating the case. 

Hear the client's interviews by Molly Spaak, and see  actual footage  taken after clients ran to safety.   

Fair Food Project of Migrant Legal Aid 
Growing Members

Award-winning local celebrity Chef Jenna Arcidiacono of Amore Trattoria Italiana (think Guy Fieri's Grocery Games), reveals her secret ingredient in every dish: Fairness. The Trattoria has joined the Fair Food Project of Migrant Legal Aid to support ethical sourcing of local ingredients. Chef Jenna and husband Maurizio started their flagship restaurant at 5080 Alpine Ave NW Comstock Park, MI around ten years ago, and have been leading by example for restaurants wanting to ensure  no exploitation occurs along the food supply chain. Put your hunger where your heart is, eat at Amore!  616-785-5344 and look for  the Fair Food Project seal of Migrant Legal Aid.   
Fair Food Means Fair Labor: Retailers Promote Fair
Treatment of Migrant Farm workers in Michigan  

 Look for the Seal. 

Don't see it? Ask your grocer to call  (616) 454-5055 to join.

Dec. 2018, Production began on a video to promote ethical  treatment of migrant workers  by joining the Fair Food Project. Watch for its release!
           8 kids left: The lingering aftermath of Trump's 
'zero-tolerance' policy at the border  

December 7, 2018. Eight. (8). That's how many children the government says are waiting to be reunited with family members as a direct result of then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions' decision last April to prosecute every adult who crossed illegally at America's southern border.

"Zero tolerance" triggered an international outcry at the U.S.-Mexico border as more than 2,634 migrant children were separated from their parents in a matter of weeks and compounding an existing crisis involving several thousand "unaccompanied minors" already in U.S. custody.   Read more
Anthony Bourdain's words on our "Ridiculously hypocritical attitudes towards immigration"   

Americans love Mexican food. We consume nachos, tacos, burritos, tortas, enchiladas, tamales and anything resembling Mexican in enormous quantities. We love Mexican beverages, happily knocking back huge amounts of tequila, mezcal and Mexican beer every year. We love Mexican people-as we sure employ a lot of them. Despite our ridiculously hypocritical attitudes towards immigration, we demand that Mexicans cook a large percentage of the food we eat, grow the ingredients we need to make that food, clean our houses, mow our lawns, wash our dishes, look after our children. 

As any chef will tell you, our entire service economy-the restaurant business as we know it-in most American cities, would collapse overnight without Mexican workers.  Read more
G'day Mate: Australia attracts migrants with new visa deal that includes path to permanent residence 
What could our country learn from this?










Federal Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, David Coleman, said the Great South Coast region had been "calling out" for workers for some time.

Mr Tehan said in many cases businesses had advertised job opportunities Australia wide but had not been able to fill them.
"Those businesses were restricted in their growth and it was hurting the whole community," he said."It seems Australians don't want to do [the jobs].
"Our population growth hasn't been as strong as other areas ... we've got to make sure we've got the workers to continue to grow."      Read more