...THE GOVERNMENT ALLEGED TWO MIGRANTS DIED AND OTHERS WERE RAPED. THEY WERE LEGALLY-WORKING HERE. PROSECUTORS SAID THE MIGRANTS WERE RECRUITED AND ENSLAVED BY U.S. EMPLOYERS WHO TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THEM, THROUGH A GOVERNMENT PROGRAM FOR TEMPORARY WORKERS…IN ADDITION TO ALL OF THE HORRENDOUS PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE, THE WORKERS GOT LITTLE TO NO PAY…

…BUT TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE LEGACY OF RACISM AND EXPLOITATION IN THE U.S. AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY, WE NEED TO GO EVEN FURTHER BACK. TO THE FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT…

…THE STOLEN WAGES, THE MISTREATMENT, IT’S EASY TO SEE THAT NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED…

…JOE REPRESENTED THE BROTHERS AND ABOUT 500 OTHER WORKERS IN THE LAWSUIT THAT ALLEGED SARBANAND VIOLATED FEDERAL ANTI-TRAFFICKING LAWS AND USED CONSTANT THREATS AND INTIMIDATION AGAINST H-2A FARMWORKERS…

…IF MIGRANT FARMWORKERS LOSE THEIR JOBS, THEY ALSO LOSE THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS BECAUSE THEIR VISAS ARE TIED TO THEIR EMPLOYER…

… IT WAS THE EMPLOYEES WHO HAD EVERYTHING TO LOSE. THE BROTHERS, AND THE OTHER WORKERS WHO WERE FIRED FOR PROTESTING…

…IN LATE 2019 THERE WAS AN AGREEMENT IN THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. THE DEFENDANTS IN THE LAWSUIT: SARBANAND, MUNGER BROTHERS AND THE RECRUITER, AGREED TO PAY $3.7 MILLION TO SETTLE…

…FOR H2A WORKERS, FILING A COMPLAINT IS A HUGE EFFORT…