Every year, thousands of mothers leave their loved ones in search of better job opportunities to provide a brighter future for their families. Daría and Isidra are two such women who travel north from their communities in Mexico to the Eastern Shore of Maryland to pick crab. They’ve done so for more than 20 seasons. They…
Some anti-immigrant groups are calling for more worksite raids to accelerate deportations. We developed a tool to meet this moment. We know from our direct experience—including the response to last year’s Hyundai raid in Georgia—that worksite raids are chaotic, terrifying, and life-altering for workers, families, and entire communities. When a parent or caregiver is detained,…
Fernando Javier Rodríguez Luna, a former H-2A agricultural worker from Mexico, just filed a class action lawsuit against his former employers in North Carolina, Jackson Farming Company of Autryville, farm labor contractor Alvino Avilez Castaneda, and Avilez & Sons Harvesting LLC, alleging violations of trafficking and wage laws. We are proud to support Mr. Rodriguez…
We have a critical opportunity to fight forced labor and human trafficking right here in Maryland. Currently under consideration in the Maryland House is HB1543 — an important bill designed to shield migrant guest workers from economic coercion, employer retaliation, and systemic abuse. To turn this vision into reality, we need your voice. Join us in urging…
Earlier this month, CDM staff held “Know Your Rights” workshops in the states of Hidalgo and San Luis Potosi. Alongside migrant worker women from the Migrant Defense Committee, we reached out to close to 300 workers in five communities. We provided critical rights information and resources to hundreds of farmworkers, many of whom are about to begin…
In 2020 CDM supported two au pairs, Sandra and Tatiana, in suing their host family, Michaele C. Samuel and Adam Ishaeik, for human trafficking and forced labor. And today, I’m happy to announce that we just won a huge victory in court: the judge denied the defendants’ latest attempts to dismiss the case and our clients’…
Our human trafficking case brought by two Mexican farmworkers who picked blueberries in Michigan has moved forward!! Late last week, a federal court rejected the majority of First Pick’s and other corporate entities’ motions to dismiss, clearing the way for Feliciano and Luis to hold these companies accountable for human trafficking and violations of the Migrant and…
The photos below capture some of our favorite moments from 2025—each one reflecting CDM’s impact and your immeasurable support. Help us continue this work in 2026. A gift today helps ensure we start the new year ready to respond quickly, protect workers from urgent threats, and build on the progress we’ve achieved together. Join us…
This year, we defended critical protections, supported workers when they needed it most, and secured meaningful wins that strengthened rights and improved lives. Today we’re proud to share CDM’s 2025 Impact Report, which highlights these victories and the work behind them. Donate today to help CDM enter the new year with the flexibility and resources needed to respond…
This International Migrants Day, we’re proud to share a one-page roundup of the most impactful news stories from the past year that highlighted CDM’s work and amplified the voices of migrant workers. In this critical moment, as the administration targets migrant workers and lawmakers push to expand guestworker programs—often while weakening key worker protections—ensuring that migrant…