C R L A Foundation

CRLAF WORKS FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY FOR FARMWORKERS AND THE UNDERSERVED IN RURAL CALIFORNIA THROUGH OUTREACH, COMMUNITY EDUCATION, LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE ADVOCACY, CLASS ACTION LITIGATION, AND DIRECT REPRESENTATION. IN 2022, WE STRENGTHENED LAWS AND POLICIES PROTECTING WORKERS' RIGHTS AND HEALTH; WORKED TO REDUCE AGRICULTURAL WORK HAZARDS AND PESTICIDE EXPOSURES FACED BY FARMWORKERS AND RURAL RESIDENTS; HELPED KEEP IMMIGRANT FAMILIES TOGETHER; IMPROVED ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION; HELPED CALIFORNIANS LIVING IN RURAL COMMUNITIES SECURE, CLEAN AND RELIABLE DRINKING WATER; AND PREVENTED HOMELESSNESS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.

CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION PROJECT:THIS PROJECT'S COLLECTIVE WORK IS ORGANIZED ACROSS FOUR DIFFERENT PROJECT AREAS: CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION, REMOVAL DEFENSE, SAN JOAQUIN IMMIGRANT EMPOWERMENT, IMMIGRANT HEALTH EQUITY, AND THE SACRAMENTO FUEL NETWORK. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION PROVIDES COMMUNITY EDUCATION, LEGAL TRAINING TO QUALIFIED LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDERS (QLSPS), ASSISTANCE TO ELIGIBLE IMMIGRANTS WHEN APPLYING FOR AFFIRMATIVE IMMIGRATION BENEFITS, AND REPRESENTATION BEFORE USCIS AND THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE FOR IMMIGRATION REVIEW. REMOVAL DEFENSE PROVIDES DIRECT REPRESENTATION IN DETAINED AND NON-DETAINED COURT CASES AS WELL AS COORDINATES THE SACRAMENTO ATTORNEY OF THE DAY (AOD) PROGRAM AT THE SACRAMENTO IMMIGRATION COURT. THE AOD PROGRAM IS THE SECOND SUCH PROGRAM IN THE NATION, PROVIDING A VITAL CONSULTATION AND ADVICE SERVICE FOR INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT PRIOR, NOR THE FUNDS TO HIRE PRIVATE REPRESENTATION. SINCE THE PANDEMIC, INDIVIDUAL REPRESENTATION HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED REMOTELY THROUGH 30 MINUTE-AT-A-TIME PHONE CALLS, OFTEN WITH POOR RECEPTION. COURT HEARINGS WERE ALSO CONDUCTED VIA TELEPHONE. SAN JOAQUIN IMMIGRANT EMPOWERMENT'S WORK CENTERS AROUND THE COMPLEX INTERSECTION OF HEALTH RIGHTS, PUBLIC HEALTH, IMMIGRANTS' RIGHTS, AND IMMIGRATION LAW. THE PROJECT HAS RECENTLY FOCUSED ON PROVIDING IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES, ADVOCACY, EDUCATION AND OUTREACH, AND LEGAL TRAINING. WE ALSO PROVIDED REGULAR IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES TO STUDENTS, FAMILIES AND STAFF AT DELTA COLLEGE AND SURVIVORS OF CRIME AT A WOMEN'S CENTER. MOST OF CRLAF'S IMMIGRATION CASES IN THIS REGION ARE HUMANITARIAN CASES, SUCH AS U VISA, T VISA, OR VAWA APPLICATIONS. THE MAJORITY OF THE INDIVIDUALS WE SERVE DO NOT HAVE THE MEANS TO HIRE A PRIVATE ATTORNEY. THERE IS A HUGE UNMET NEED FOR ATTORNEYS TO TAKE ON HUMANITARIAN AID CASES PRO BONO; CURRENTLY, CRLAF IS ONE OF THE ONLY ORGANIZATIONS TAKING THESE TYPES OF CASES AT NO COST TO THE CLIENT, FROM AROUND SAN JOAQUIN TO FRESNO COUNTY. WE PLAN TO CONTINUE BUILDING COMMUNITY CAPACITY TO SUPPORT SUCH WORK MOVING FORWARD.IMMIGRANT HEALTH EQUITY HAS PROVIDED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO VARIOUS COMMUNITY PARTNERS ADDRESSING THE ADMINISTRATION'S PUBLIC CHARGE RULE AND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THIS HEALTH AND ECONOMIC CRISIS HAS CAUSED IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES TO CONFRONT VARIOUS DIFFICULTIES IN REGARDS TO ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE AND TESTING, ELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC BENEFITS, LIMITED DISASTER RELIEF OPTIONS, AND WORKERS' RIGHTS.THE SACRAMENTO FAMILY, UNITY, EDUCATION, AND LEGAL (FUEL) NETWORK FOR IMMIGRANTS: THE CITY COUNCIL OF SACRAMENTO ESTABLISHED THE SACRAMENTO FAMILY UNITY, EDUCATION, AND LEGAL (FUEL) NETWORK FOR IMMIGRANTS IN 2017, FOR WHICH CRLAF CONTINUES TO SERVE AS FISCAL LEAD. THE FUEL NETWORK IS A ROBUST COLLABORATIVE OF OVER 80 SACRAMENTO COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, LEGAL SERVICES PROVIDERS, VOLUNTEER ATTORNEY GROUPS, LABOR UNIONS, FAITH-BASED GROUPS, AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS PROVIDING CRITICAL INFORMATIONAL AND LEGAL SERVICES TO IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES.

SUSTAINABLE RURAL COMMUNITIES PROJECT (SRCP): THE SUSTAINABLE RURAL COMMUNITIES PROJECT WORKS TO ENSURE EQUAL ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE FOR CALIFORNIA'S FARMWORKER AND RURAL INDIGENT POPULATION THROUGH A THREE-PART STRATEGY OF HEALTH STATUS DATA DEVELOPMENT, ANALYSIS AND DISSEMINATION; PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION; AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING.THIS PROJECT ADDRESSES THE SYSTEMIC CAUSES OF OUR COMMUNITIES' POVERTY, POOR HEALTH AND DEGRADED ENVIRONMENT. WE COORDINATE WITH OTHER ADVOCATES ON A LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND STATEWIDE STRATEGY TO CRAFT LARGE-SCALE SOLUTIONS AROUND HEALTHCARE FOR ALL, ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES (LAND USE, UNMET TRANSIT NEEDS, WATER QUALITY), FOSTER MORE ACCOUNTABLE AND INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE, AND DIRECT FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO RURAL AND DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES AS PART OF ADDRESSING THESE PRIORITIES. SAFE DRINKING WATER:SINCE 2015, OUR TEAM HAS ADMINISTERED AN INTERIM EMERGENCY BOTTLED WATER PROGRAM TO TWO UNINCORPORATED FARMWORKER COMMUNITIES, CANTUA CREEK AND EL PORVENIR IN WESTERN FRESNO COUNTY. WE CONTINUE TO COORDINATE WITH CALIFORNIA'S WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD TO ENSURE UNINTERRUPTED BOTTLED WATER DELIVERY, WHILE MAINTAINING ADVOCACY WITH THE COUNTY AND OVER 700 RESIDENTS FOR A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO PROVIDE THESE COMMUNITIES CLEAN AND SAFE DRINKING WATER.FARMWORKER HEALTH STUDY:CRLAF RECENTLY LED A SUCCESSFUL STATE BUDGET $1.5 MILLION REQUEST TO UPDATE A 20-YEAR OLD STUDY OF FARMWORKER HEALTH DATA. THE 3-YEAR STUDY WAS COMPLETED IN THE SUMMER OF 2022; THIS DATA WILL BE USED TO INFORM POLICY AND DEMONSTRATE THE SEVERE INEQUITIES FACED BY FARMWORKERS, LARGELY RURAL IMMIGRANTS, STRENGTHENING OUR ARGUMENT FOR STRONGER HEALTH AND SAFETY PROTECTIONS FOR FARMWORKERS AND OTHER RURAL LOW-WAGE WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.HEALTH4KERN:CRLAF HAS PROVIDED CRITICAL SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO THE COLLABORATIVE HEALTH4KERN IN THEIR EFFORTS TO EXPAND HEALTH SERVICES FOR ALL. WE ALSO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON KEY IMMIGRATION ISSUES, SUCH AS THE PROPOSED FEDERAL CHANGES IN THE DEFINITION OF PUBLIC CHARGE, AND COVID-19 RELIEF INITIATIVES. HEALTH4KERN HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MAIN ACTORS IN EXPANDING AWARENESS OF THE RECENT MEDI-CAL EXPANSIONS, AND UNINSURED RESIDENTS' ELIGIBILITY FOR CARE AND COVERAGE. AS THESE EXPANSIONS CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT, CRLAF WILL PERFORM OUTREACH AND EDUCATION WITH THIS COALITION AND OTHER PARTNERS TO ENSURE RURAL, LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANT FAMILIES' EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HEALTH COVERAGE AND SERVICES.

THE LABOR AND CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION UNIT:THIS PROJECT PROVIDES LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THROUGHOUT RURAL CALIFORNIA TO REMEDY HOUSING, LABOR, AND OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. OUR OUTREACH AND LITIGATION FOCUSES ON THOSE WHO ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SERVICES FROM FEDERALLY FUNDED LEGAL AID PROGRAMS OR WHOSE INTERESTS ARE BEST REPRESENTED IN A CLASS ACTION. THE UNIT TARGETS EMPLOYERS RESPONSIBLE FOR DEPLORABLE WORKING CONDITIONS, AND REPRESENTS WORKERS IN CASES INVOLVING: WAGE THEFT, VIOLATION OF WORKPLACE SAFETY STANDARDS, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE, DISCRIMINATION AND RETALIATION, WORKPLACE HOUSING HABITABILITY ISSUES, AND PESTICIDE EXPOSURE. WE ALSO PROVIDE OUTREACH AND KNOW-YOUR-RIGHTS PRESENTATIONS ON HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT. AS PART OF OUR OUTREACH WORK, WE HAVE CREATED MANY INFOGRAPHICS DETAILING HOW WORKERS CAN ACCESS CRITICAL SAFETY-NET SERVICES, INCLUDING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, FOOD BANKS, AND INFORMATION ON WORKERS' RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW. IN ADDITION TO WORKING ON ITS CLASS ACTION CASE DOCKET, THE TEAM PROVIDES CO-COUNSELING WITH OTHER QLSPS, DRAFTS AND CONTRIBUTES TO AMICUS BRIEFS, AND PROVIDES TRAINING TO LEGAL ADVOCATES ON ISSUES RELATING TO LOW-WAGE WORKERS.