Meet the boy who saved his family

       Roberto was 3 when his parents came to the U.S. to find agricultural work. His father became a violent drunk, beating his mother and severely abusing Roberto and his sister until he was 12. His father threatened to kill his mother if they ever reported the abuse. Roberto's constant bruises were  obvious and he eventually reached out to his teacher, and then to police. In his declaration, he told the government he was "so sad for what my mom has had to go through for us. My mom works hard to give us a better life. She wants us to study and for us to be somebody in life. And that is why I work hard in school." 

Yes Virginia, there really is a check in the mail

          Look for the Smile! Our latest addition to the Migrant Legal Aid Family always has a happy face to share with our clients and staff. Jennifer Churay fills the vacancy left by our esteemed intern, Rose Van Elderen. Jennifer is a graduate of Grand Valley State University and has worked for the Progressive Women's Alliance, Whitmer for Governor, and Fundacion Cristiana Ama a tu Projimo in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Jennifer looks forward to continuing her passion for public service work and says she is excited to be working directly with migrant families, helping them to thrive. She plans to pursue a career in law.

Neighbors spew hate at migrant workers over fear of new housing plan at Comstock greenhouse.  

"What if they break in and I go in my garage

  and they shoot me?"

              

COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, MI - Citizens are concerned about a greenhouse's plans to house migrant workers in Comstock Township and wonder what the project could mean for the safety and property values in their rural community.

Wenke Greenhouses is planning to bring 34 migrant workers in January to live in four houses the business owns adjacent to its greenhouse facilities at 2525 N. 30th St., Wenke Greenhouses co-owner Lisa Ambrosio said.

The business' intention is to bring in another 50 workers in March who will be housed in other locations provided by a contract company, she said.

The business has plans to build another four "cabins" behind the existing houses, Ambrosio said, where they would like to house an additional workers there in the future. Those plans have to be approved by the local government before they can move forward, she said.

Wenke Greenhouses needs the workers to transplant plants, process them for shipping and moving and spacing work. She said the jobs start at $13.54, and the company hires both migrant workers and local people at the same starting rate. "We are having very serious challenges getting people to work here," she said, noting the positions are seasonal labor positions. 

 

Resident Mary Ann LaClair said the male workers will require "babysitting," and wonders who will intervene if something happens. "Who takes responsibility for these people?" she said. "What if they break in and I go in my garage and they shoot me?"  Read more

Neighbors spew hate at migrant workers over fear of new housing plan at Comstock greenhouse.  

"What if they break in and I go in my garage

  and they shoot me?"

              

COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, MI - Citizens are concerned about a greenhouse's plans to house migrant workers in Comstock Township and wonder what the project could mean for the safety and property values in their rural community.

Wenke Greenhouses is planning to bring 34 migrant workers in January to live in four houses the business owns adjacent to its greenhouse facilities at 2525 N. 30th St., Wenke Greenhouses co-owner Lisa Ambrosio said.

The business' intention is to bring in another 50 workers in March who will be housed in other locations provided by a contract company, she said.

The business has plans to build another four "cabins" behind the existing houses, Ambrosio said, where they would like to house an additional workers there in the future. Those plans have to be approved by the local government before they can move forward, she said.

Wenke Greenhouses needs the workers to transplant plants, process them for shipping and moving and spacing work. She said the jobs start at $13.54, and the company hires both migrant workers and local people at the same starting rate. "We are having very serious challenges getting people to work here," she said, noting the positions are seasonal labor positions. 

 

Resident Mary Ann LaClair said the male workers will require "babysitting," and wonders who will intervene if something happens. "Who takes responsibility for these people?" she said. "What if they break in and I go in my garage and they shoot me?"  Read more

El Paso strained by government shutdown,

 migrant policies 

     

 

The government shutdown over funding the border wall is straining an already stretched city. Tens of thousands of federal government employees live and work in El Paso. Many are either furloughed or, like CBP officers and Border Patrol agents, must work without pay through the shutdown.

These agents have to process more than 40 million lawful northbound crossings from Juarez, Mexico, to El Paso on the city's four international bridges. If border wait times increase because of understaffing at international bridges, El Paso's economy bears the brunt.

"Mexico needs to be treated like an economic and strategic ally, not a foe," Barela said. "The symbiotic relationship of the United States and Mexico is very obvious here, at the border. But that symbiotic relationship also extends into the United States. They extend in very dramatic ways to Midwestern states, like Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio. Over 700,000 jobs in those five states are directly reliant on trade with Mexico."      Read more

As Shutdown Lingers, Farmers Begin To Worry 

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Three weeks into the federal government shutdown and the effects are starting to worry those in the agriculture industry. Farmers rely on the government for financing, labor approval, and crop reports. They need all those things in the coming months.

"I think one of the challenges is the real unknown there," says MSU Extension Farm Business Educator Daniel Ochs, "The effects down the road that we will see from the shut down."

The winter is the time farmers spend planning next season's crop. How much of what crops are decided this time of year but thanks to the government shutdown, Michigan's farmers aren't getting the insight they need. "The margins are so tight in commodities right now that any piece of information could be really helpful from both a planting decision and also a pricing decision," says Ochs.

The USDA crop reports have been postponed, the most important guide for farmers as they plan their season. It tells them what the rest of the world is growing and what is in demand and what to charge for it.

"Farms year-round are trying to figure out when to market their crops and that report can be a key indicator for which way prices are going to move," says Ochs.  Not only will farmers not know what to plant but may not have anyone to help.    Watch video