Latest News

Migrant workers have won a huge victory! A judge in Georgia has approved an $11.5 million agreement to settle a class action suit brought by workers with TN visas against auto giants Hyundai Mobis and Kia Georgia, as well as staffing agency Allswell and recruitment agency SPJ Connect. Through this settlement, named plaintiffs Oswaldo, Nahum,…

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, August 3, 2026 Contact: Jimena De Haro Celorio jimenad@cdmigrante.org Migrant Workers Reach $11.5M Settlement with Hyundai Mobis and Kia Georgia for Claims of Fraud and Unpaid Wages. Atlanta, Georgia – A group of Mexican engineers recruited and hired to work with TN visas in Georgia’s automotive supply chain achieved an historic…

It is finally here—the kickoff of the FIFA World Cup 2026. But beyond the thrill of this global event, we are frustrated. Given FIFA’s underwhelming commitment to prioritizing the human rights of players, workers and fans, this World Cup is bound to be remembered as unsafe, unfair and unaffordable. Yet, we are incredibly proud of…

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…

This International Human Rights Day, we’re urging the Office of the United States Trade Representative to strengthen migrant worker protections in the United States, Mexico, Canada Agreement (USMCA). Today, as the Labor Council celebrated its third meeting with private and public sessions on the implementation of the USMCA labor chapter, CDM urged all three governments to maintain the Labor Chapter…

Last Friday, the world tuned in as FIFA announced the dates and locations for next year’s World Cup matches. While most people were focused on the match schedules, our team was focused on protections for migrant workers during the games. Immediately following the draw, Ricardo Ortiz, CDM’s Campaign Strategist, met President Sheinbaum and urged her to ensure that…

The past few weeks have been very busy for all of us at CDM. Here’s a quick recap of everything we’ve been up to to ensure fair wages and strengthened protections for farm and poultry workers whose hard work make Thanksgiving feasts possible for families all across the United States: We strongly opposed the US Department of…

We’re only two days away from our 20th Anniversary event in Washington, DC! It’s going to be a great night with amazing guests, incredible music, inspiring awardees and delicious food. And today we have two more special surprises to share: The first surprise is that a generous member of CDM’s Board of Directors, Laurie Burgess, has agreed to match…

Last night we celebrated CDM’s 20th Anniversary in Mexico City. And it was an absolute blast! It was amazing to see so many people who’ve been part of our journey, celebrating the victories of the past 20 years and recommitting to the fight ahead. But I’ll let the photos below speak for themselves. Now, with the…

This week, CDM filed a friend-of-the-court brief opposing employer-led efforts to dismantle key worker protections included in the 2024 H-2 program rule issued by the Biden Administration. From the beginning, corporations and low-road employers pushed back against a few of the rule’s worker-centered provisions. But now, they’re asking the court to throw out the rule entirely. We can’t let…

Guestworker visa programs are structurally flawed and they facilitate the abuse and exploitation of migrant workers. Everyday we hear from migrant guestworkers facing wage theft, violence, discrimination, retaliation and human trafficking. Now, members in Congress are seeking to dramatically expand guestworker visa programs and carve out visa cap exceptions for industries that have an extensive…

Borders should never be barriers to justice. That’s why I’m excited to share that, in collaboration with the Immigrant Justice Clinic at American University Washington College of Law (IJC) and Justice in Motion (JiM), we’ve updated our Money Transfers to Mexico Manual; a key resource that provides critical support for advocates looking to deliver unpaid…

Creating workplaces free from sexual harassment and violence should never be a controversial issue. Yet, the Department of Labor recently terminated all “Fostering Access, Rights and Equity” (FARE) grants awarded by the Women’s Bureau during the Biden administration — including two that funded our critical work building power with workers in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina,…

“I could not stand the conditions all of us —myself and my fellow co-workers— had to endure. We worked so much and got nothing in return. I knew I had to speak out and organize others to do so as well. I could never have imagined that we would achieve so much together. Now I…

For the last almost 20 years, we’ve had the privilege of working with thousands of migrant worker women who migrate to the United States, leaving family and friends behind in search of a better future. This International Women’s Day, we celebrate them – for their strength, their courage and their leadership. We celebrate the courage…

Oscar Onadia, an immigrant from Burkina Faso, courageously filed a class-action lawsuit against the City of New York, eventually obtaining a settlement of $92.5 million dollars for more than 20,000 people. The class members —immigrants and US citizens alike— were unjustly detained between 1997 and 2012 by the New York City Department of Corrections beyond their…

For nearly 20 years, CDM has been on the frontlines ensuring workers build their power and are able to stand up for their rights. At this moment, when migrant workers are under attack, our commitment to this work is steadfast and more critical than ever. CDM was built to meet moments of vulnerability and we intend, as…

From labor-based deferred action clinics and know your rights trainings to strengthened protections in the H-2 programs, this year was filled with powerful moments for migrant justice. And they were all thanks to the support of people like you, who believe in our vision and trust in our work. As we move into 2025, we want…

This International Migrants Day we are celebrating a new rule that strengthens protections for migrant guestworkers in the H-2 program. The rule, which was announced yesterday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will make it easier for migrant workers to access key existing worker protections. A few highlights: Visa potability: In theory, visa portability was…

Last week, our team led seven know your rights workshops for farmworkers in Maryland and Virginia. These trainings are part of the Farm Labor Stabilization Protection Pilot Program (FLSP), a USDA program to support employers in ensuring safe and healthy workplaces for farmworkers. In just three days, we were able to train over 120 workers, including H-2A workers,…

Maximo applied for deferred action, an immigration protection for workers involved in labor disputes, during our first pro se deferred action clinic in North Carolina last year.  Maximo’s employer had forced him and his colleagues to work in the sweet potato fields under extreme heat without sufficient water or breaks. As a result, one worker died…