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JUNTA DIRECTIVA California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (CRLAF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public interest law firm established in 1981, based in Sacramento, with satellite offices throughout the state . CRLAF represents farm workers and other low-wage workers in rural California, and is also a State Bar-funded legal services support center providing training, advocacy and technical assistance to California’s federal legal services programs. Our litigation and policy priority areas include labor, housing, civil rights, sustainable rural communities, health and immigrants’ rights. CRLAF has successfully sponsored or co-sponsored legislation in each of these areas, including the Farm Labor Contractor Act, the Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA), the Employee Housing Act, Field Pesticide Posting requirements and dozens of other statutes. Equal Opportunity Employer: California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, color, religion, gender identity and/or expression, physical or mental disability, nationality, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We believe everyone has something important to contribute. Respecting individual differences is an integral part of our culture and we endeavor to make our differences work for us to achieve our mission. FULL-TIME SUMMER LEGAL FELLOWS FOR IMMIGRATION AND WORKERS’ RIGHTS Position: Full-Time Summer Legal Fellows to assist with immigration and/or labor and employment cases Period: Approximately from May 1, 2026 to September 16, 2026 Location: Sacramento, California About Position: CRLAF seeks law students with a strong commitment to public interest and social justice to serve as California Bar Foundation Legal Aid Leader Fellows. Under the supervision of experienced attorneys, Fellows will gain practical experience working directly with clients, completing legal research, preparing briefs to support client’s claims in litigation, and preparing documents for review by USCIS and/or the immigration court. Fellows will receive training and may assist with community presentations on Know Your Rights and responding to questions on immigration and labor rights. Fellows can pick between working with the Litigation Unit and Immigration Unit. Requirements and Qualifications: The Summer Fellowship is full-time, 37.5 hours per week for 10 weeks. CRLAF offers a flexible summer work schedule to accommodate any personal needs or travel plans. Rising 2L or 3L Interest in immigration and/or labor and workers’ rights in California Demonstrated commitment to social justice and the empowerment of immigrant communities Experience working with low-income, immigrant, migrant, farmworker, non-English speaking families, and ability to engage people from all backgrounds with both patience and sensitivity when listening to clients’ stories Fluency in Spanish or locally spoken indigenous language, preferred but not required Ability to work independently, as demonstrated by a positive track record of independent decision-making Valid California Driver License, preferred but not required Willingness to remain in close communications with the California Bar Foundation about your work Stipend: The successful candidate will receive a stipend of $10,000, funded by the California Bar Foundation. Application Information: If interested, please email your cover letter, resume, and list of 3 professional references to jobs@crlaf.org . Please address the cover letter to “Hiring Committee” and write your preference for either “Immigration Summer Legal Fellow” or “Litigation Summer Legal Fellow” in the email subject line. Applications will be accepted and reviewed until the position is filled. LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR/SENIOR LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATE Position: Legislative Director / Senior Legislative Advocate (full-time, FLSA exempt positions) Location: Sacramento, California Experience: 3-5 Five+ years directly relevant legislative or litigation experience Job Categories: Senior Management; Project Director; Legislative Advocacy Start Date: Immediate Duties + Responsibilities: Reporting to the Executive Director and Deputy Director, the Legislative Director’s duties include day to day supervision of several lobbyists and advocates, as well as serving as CRLAF’s chief Labor/Judiciary lobbyist. The Legislative Director also conducts our “California Advocacy for Farm Workers” project, which advocates for undocumented farmworkers and the rights of farmworkers employed in the H-2A visa contract labor program (‘Bracero 2.0’). The Senior Advocate’s duties include all of the above responsibilities except for a supervisory role over the legislative unit. Minimum Qualifications: Significant prior experience at the senior staff level in the Legislature or as a registered lobbyist, with a history and track record of developing and successfully shepherding legislation through the legislative process. However, significant plaintiff-side litigation experience representing low-wage workers under California or federal labor, housing, civil rights or immigrants’ rights laws, with a willingness to be trained in the California legislative process, is also qualifying experience for the senior legislative advocacy role (with a track to eventual assumption of the Legislative Director position). Law degree, civil rights, community organizing, labor union, farm worker, non-profit organization, or plaintiff-side law firm experience are also desirable, as is Spanish language proficiency. Hours, Compensation, + Benefits: Salary Range: $95,000.00 - $145,000.00 Salary/year; dependent on experience Employer-paid medical, dental, vision, and life insurance for employees (with half-paid coverage for dependents) Flexible spending account benefits Employer-sponsored retirement plan with an annual CRLAF contribution Generous vacation, sick leave, and holiday package CRLAF has a 37.5 hour, 5-day work week Application Information: Please send a resume, cover letter, writing sample, and a list of at least three references to Amagda Pérez at aperez@crlaf.org . (Applicants may also wish to provide video or audio links to some of their recent substantive testimony or appearances before the Legislature, administrative agencies or the courts.) For questions, please call (916) 446-7904, ext. 101. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position is open until filled.

CRLAF is a privately funded rural justice center focused serving farmworkers and low-wage laborers, regardless of immigration status. California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation FARM WORKER RIGHTS. HUMAN RIGHTS. Thank you to everyone who donated to CRLAF for Year End Giving! Thank you to our generous supporters for all of your donations last year. Your gifts help us respond to the urgent and evolving needs of immigrant and rural communities across California. Thank you for helping us continue to fight for justice in the fields, in the legislature, and in our communities. Your support enables us to provide critical legal assistance, advocate for fair policies, and engage directly with communities around issues such as immigration and removal defense, labor and employment rights, worker health and safety, housing advocacy, and sustainable rural communities. We are deeply grateful for our community partners and advocates and their commitment to justice and dignity for all. In 2026, we remain committed to advancing justice. Our work continues, and together, we move forward. Farmworker + Immigrant Rights We are the sons and daughters of farmworkers. We believe justice and dignity are inalienable human rights, and fight for greater access for migrant farmworker and immigrant communities across the state. Read More > CRLA Foundation Joins UFW Foundation & United Farm Workers in Lawsuit Challenging Unlawful Farmworker Wage Cuts. New federal rule would slash farmworker pay by $5–$7 per hour and shift $2.46 billion annually from workers to employers—one of the largest wage transfers in U.S. agricultural history. Read More > Press Release on Incoming Administration While many of the serious problems clients faced in the previous Trump administration may reoccur; CRLAF stands firmly with rural residents, partner organizations, legal aid providers, and other advocates to fight for family unity, justice and equity. Read More > See More News

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Richard M. Pearl, Esq., Chair Law Offices of Richard M Pearl "I first got involved with farm workers when I started working with CRLA INC, in the in 1975. In the early 1980s when legal aid was under attack on a national level, we knew lobbying in particular. would be under attack; that's when CRLAF was born. Today, thanks to a cadre of visionary supporters, CRLAF remains privately funded legal aid program, doing incredibly important work that federally funded legal aid organizations are prohibited from doing." Rosa Armendariz Diablo Valley College Joseph Jaramillo, Esq. Housing & Economic Rights Advocates "I think that it’s difficult to pass strong protective legislation given the power and influence of big agribusinesses.That is why it is so important to have an organization like CRLA Foundation advocating for needed changes." Manuel Magana Retired Farm Worker "I started working with César Chavez in the 1970s. By the 1980s legal aid was under fire and we had to find another way to continue the important work. I am proud to have been on the forefront of creating CRLA Foundation. We have worked really hard for the rights of the farm workers for many years and still there are many things that need to change. One of the achievements in this fight is that farm workers now have access to a bathroom wherever they are working." Rosario Vásquez Community Representative Virginia Villegas, Esq. Villegas Carrera LLP "Over the years, I've seen first-hand the legislative work they engage in and the positive effects it has for low-wage workers throughout the state. CRLAF not only provides legal representation, but advocates on behalf of marginalized communities. If it were not for CRLAF these communities would not be getting the critical services they need." Please reload

ABOGACIA LEGISLATIVA Una voz para los trabajadores y familias de bajos salarios en el capitolio estatal Fue a fines de la década de 1970 y el comienzo de la escuela se pospuso continuamente para que los niños trabajadores agrícolas pudieran estar en los campos para la cosecha en lugar de estar en clase. Un grupo de defensores llevó al distrito escolar a los tribunales alegando que la práctica era ilegal. Ellos ganaron Lo que sucedió después es la razón por la cual existe CRLAF: en lugar de cumplir con la ley, la junta escolar, compuesta por empresarios políticamente poderosos, cambió la ley para proteger sus intereses comerciales. Desde ese momento nació CRLAF. Nuestros defensores representan a trabajadores agrícolas y trabajadores de bajos salarios en todo California. Nuestros defensores legislativos participan en investigaciones orientadas a políticas y encuestas de campo de trabajadores agrícolas; llevar a cabo actividades de promoción legislativa y administrativa en las áreas de salario y hora, seguro de desempleo y derecho de los trabajadores agrícolas, tanto a nivel estatal como federal, y brinda capacitación, asistencia técnica y apoyo de defensa a los programas de servicios legales de California. Los principales objetivos del proyecto son: Ampliar las leyes laborales estatales que afectan los derechos de los trabajadores agrícolas y otros trabajadores de bajos salarios. Para mejorar y reformar los esfuerzos estatales de aplicación de la ley laboral, particularmente en la economía sumergida Asumir un papel de liderazgo al oponerse a los esfuerzos legislativos o reglamentarios para debilitar los derechos laborales nuevos o existentes que afectan a los trabajadores de bajos salarios, y especialmente a los trabajadores agrícolas y sus familias. Para llevar a cabo investigaciones relacionadas con políticas públicas y legales, educación y esfuerzos de medios Iniciar la capacitación de defensores, abogados y personal de agencias sobre las leyes laborales patrocinadas por la Fundación CRLA. Para monitorear las admisiones de trabajadores invitados en California bajo el programa federal H-2A Para participar en los esfuerzos nacionales de promoción en torno a los programas de trabajadores invitados y la legalización de los trabajadores agrícolas. Las actividades no relacionadas con el cabildeo del proyecto son, y han sido durante muchos años, generosamente apoyadas por la Fundación Rosenberg. El Proyecto de Derecho Laboral y Laboral está dirigido por el Director Adjunto y Director Legislativo de CRLAF, Mark Schacht. Un veterano de 25 años de Capitol Hill y Sacramento con una larga trayectoria de exitosa defensa legislativa y regulatoria en nombre de los trabajadores inmigrantes de bajos salarios, y en particular los trabajadores agrícolas. email@markschacht.com o 510-812-5399 Un historial de éxitos CRLAF patrocinó, copatrocinó o jugó un papel decisivo en la aprobación de los siguientes proyectos de ley, incluida la Ley General de Abogados Privados del Código Laboral (PAGA) . Esta legislación histórica crea un derecho privado de acción para hacer cumplir las disposiciones de la ley laboral de California previamente reservadas para su aplicación únicamente por el estado. CRLAF escribió el primer borrador y copatrocinó el proyecto de ley original (SB 796) con la Federación Laboral de California, AFL-CIO. Los empleadores inmediatamente hicieron grandes esfuerzos para derogar por completo PAGA una vez que entró en vigencia. Este esfuerzo alimentó un estancamiento presupuestario que solo se resolvió después de extensas negociaciones que condujeron a la promulgación de un proyecto de ley posterior (SB 1809) que preservó el impulso de PAGA, al tiempo que requirió agotamiento administrativo antes de que se otorgara el derecho a demandar. [ Texto de Bill capitulado de SB 796 . Historia legislativa completa de SB 796 . Texto de Bill capitulado de SB 1809 . Historia legislativa completa de SB 1809. ] Current Work Aún no hay ninguna entrada publicada en este idioma Una vez que se publiquen entradas, las verás aquí. 2015 Combating Wage Theft -- AB970 CRLAF was the sponsor of AB 970 (Nazarian), which closed gaps in the Labor Commissioner’s legal authority that precluded her from issuing citations to employers for two increasingly common underground economy wage theft violations: illegal deductions made from workers’ wages for tools or equipment, and payment of sub-minimum wages below levels mandated by applicable local ‘living wage’ laws. Not only has AB 970 increased the likelihood that more workers victimized by unscrupulous employers will actually recover their stolen wages as a result of a Labor Commissioner workforce-wide investigation and citation process for these two violations, but AB 970 will also reduces state costs associated with the remedying of these violations through individual Berman hearings or civil lawsuits. [Chaptered Bill Text . Legislative History .] 2014 Preventing Sexual Harassment -- SB 1087 SB 1087 attacks a widespread culture of sexual harassment of farm worker women by FLCs and their supervisors through a combination of mandatory annual sexual harassment prevention training and testing of licensees; annual training of their supervisors; and by training of farm workers in how to prevent, identify and report sexual harassment. The bill also makes more than a dozen other needed changes to the state Farm Labor Contractor Act, including authorizing the Labor Commissioner to take adverse license actions against sexual predators. [Chaptered Bill Text . Complete Legislative History.] Penalties for Employers' Failure to Pay Wages on Time -- AB 1723 AB 1723 requires the Labor Commissioner, when she cites for a minimum wage violation, to also determine whether workers are owed ‘waiting time’ penalties for an employer’s failure to pay all wages when due. The bill has major financial implications for farm workers and other low wage workers, whose unpaid minimum wages are often far less than any applicable ‘waiting time’ penalties. [Chaptered Bill Text . Complete Legislative History .] Joint + Several Liability for Wage Theft --AB 1897 AB 1897 makes most California employers (including growers) jointly and severally liable for their labor contractors’ wage theft and worker’s compensation violations for the first time under California law. (CRLA Foundation has unsuccessfully pursued similar legislation in the past that would have applied only to growers and their FLCs.) AB 1897 was sponsored by the state Labor Federation, the Teamsters, and the UFCW. CRLA Foundation was a significant partner in testimony before key committees, and in lobbying for passage and a signature for the bill. [Chaptered Bill Text . Complete Legislative History .] 2013 Successorship Liability for Wage Theft -- SB168 SB 168 dramatically revises successorship liability law to greatly strengthen legal protections for farm workers against Farm Labor Contractors’ wage theft, which is often committed as part of a fraudulent shutdown of their contracting business. [Chaptered Bill Text and complete Legislative History .] Immediate Recovery of Unpaid Minimum Wages -- AB 442 AB 442 requires the Labor Commissioner, when she issues a citation for a minimum wage violation, to also recover liquidated damages for victimized workers in an amount equal to the total amount of their unpaid minimum wages. This is another bill which puts money directly in the pockets of aggrieved low wage workers victimized by wage theft. [Chaptered Bill Text . Complete Legislative History .] Mandated Heat Stress Recovery Period -- SB 435 SB 435 expands protections for California workers in five outside industries who request, but are denied, heat stress-related cool down ‘recovery periods’. SB 435 generally treats heat stress-related cool down recovery periods the same way daily rest periods are treated under the Labor Code: Employers in the five covered outside industries would be prohibited from requiring workers to perform any work during any heat stress recovery period and, if the employer failed to provide such a recovery period upon a worker’s request, the employer would have to pay the employee one additional hour of pay at the employee’s regular rate of compensation for each work day that a recovery period was not provided. Workers could pursue these claims either in court or in an administrative wage claim hearing. [Chaptered Bill Text . Complete Legislative History .] Criminal Penalties for Withholdings Theft with PAGA Enforcement -- SB 390 SB 390 creates new Labor Code criminal penalties on employers who deduct, and then steal, workers’ paycheck withholdings, and also creates for the first time in state law a state cause of action (under the PAGA, discussed below) to attack this kind of unscrupulous employer conduct. [Chaptered Bill Text . Complete Legislative History .] 2012 License Requirement for Farm Labor Contractor, PAGA Enforcement Option -- AB 1675 AB 1675 imposes stiff civil penalties on persons who operate as a farm labor contractor without first securing an FLC license. Farm workers aggrieved by actions of an unlicensed farm labor contractor can collect penalties in a PAGA civil law suit, provided the State of California does not pursue the violation itself.[Chaptered Bill Text .] Right to Employment Records Upon Request -- AB 2674 AB 1675 imposes stiff civil penalties on persons who operate as a farm labor contractor without first securing an FLC license. Farm workers aggrieved by actions of an unlicensed farm labor contractor can collect penalties in a PAGA civil law suit, provided the State of California does not pursue the violation itself.[ Chaptered Bill Text .AB 2674 requires employers, for the first time under California law, to provide current and former employees, or their representatives, with a copy of their employment-related personnel records, which are often a vital first step in determining the merits of a worker’s claim of retaliation. This bill was vetoed once before, and represents a victory for worker advocates ‘staying the course’ to get relief in this important area. [Chaptered Bill Text .] Guidance in Defining "suffers injury" for Employer's Failure to Provide Itemized Pay Stubs -- SB 1255 SB 1255 resolved longstanding conflicts over whether a worker “suffers injury” when an employer fails to provide him or her with a complete and accurate itemized pay statement as required by state law. CRLAF negotiated a compromise with trial lawyers, unions, and business interests which provides the courts with a better roadmap in how to interpret employer violations of these critical worker protections in the future. [Chaptered Bill Text . Complete Legislative History .] 2011 Itemized Wage Statements Required -- AB 243 AB 243 enacted over the strong opposition of California agriculture, requires farm labor contractors to provide their farm worker employees with an itemized wage statement which discloses all of the names and addresses of every entity (i.e., growers or other FLCs) to whom the farm worker was supplied during the pay period. [Chaptered Bill Text .] Berman Hearings Available for Minimum Wage Violations -- AB 240 AB 240 requires the state labor commissioner to allow workers not paid the minimum wage to recovery minimum wage liquidated damages in a Berman administrative wage claim hearing, which parallels rights they have if they pursue such a claim in a civil action. This is a critical advance for low wage workers whose only avenue to redress wage theft is a Berman hearing (because their individual wage claim is too small to be taken by a private attorney or a legal services law firm). [Chaptered Bill Text .] Omnibus Wage Theft Statute -- AB 469 AB 469 enacted an omnibus wage theft statute with many new Labor Code protections aimed particularly at vulnerable low wage immigrant workers laboring in the underground economy; CRLA Foundation wrote first draft and co-sponsored the bill with the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. [Chaptered Bill Text .] Additional Noteworthy CRLAF Sponsored Legislation Private Attorney General Act (PAGA) -- SB 796 and SB 1809 Labor Code Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) This landmark legislation creates a private right of action to enforce California labor law provisions previously reserved for enforcement solely by the state. CRLA Foundation wrote the first draft and co-sponsored the original bill (SB 796) with the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. Employers immediately made strenuous efforts to completely repeal the PAGA once it took effect. This effort fueled a budget stalemate that was only resolved after extensive negotiations led to enactment of a subsequent bill (SB 1809) which preserved the thrust of PAGA, while requiring administrative exhaustion before a right to sue would vest. [Chaptered Bill Text of SB 796 . Complete Legislative History of SB 796. Chaptered Bill Text of SB 1809 . Complete Legislative History of SB 1809 .] PAGA Financial Responsible Labor Contractor -- SB 179 The Financially Responsible Labor Contractor Act (SB 179) This groundbreaking statute, opposed by dozens of employer groups in the Legislature, makes entities liable when they knowingly entered into a financially insufficient contract for labor or services in five underground economy industries. CRLA Foundation wrote first draft and co-sponsored the bill with the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO. A prior version was vetoed. [Chaptered Bill Text . Complete Legislative History .]

Removal Defense Representation at CRLAF REPRESENTACIÓN DE DEFENSA DE DESMONTAJE EN EL VALLE CENTRAL Y CALIFORNIA DEL NORTE Programa de defensa para la eliminación de CRLAF CRLAF ofrece representación gratuita de defensa de expulsión a un número limitado de inmigrantes vinculados a nuestra región de servicio de expulsión. Estos servicios se ofrecen a través del apoyo de NextGen America, Immigrant Justice Corps y fondos estatales de California administrados por el Departamento de Servicios Sociales de California (CDSS). Nuestra región de servicio de defensa de remoción incluye los siguientes condados del Valle Central y el norte de California: Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, El Dorado, Fresno, Glenn, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Madera, Mendocino, Merced, Nevada, Placer, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Solano, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Yolo y Yuba. Programa de defensa para la eliminación de la red FUEL de Sacramento CRLAF fue seleccionado de la Ciudad de Sacramento liderar una colaboración de múltiples organizaciones que ofrece representación gratuita de defensa de expulsión a un número limitado de personas vinculadas a la Ciudad de Sacramento como parte de la Red de COMBUSTIBLE de Sacramento . Miembro de la red SAFE Como miembro de la Red SAFE , CRLAF está comprometida con el principio y la práctica de la representación universal para todos los inmigrantes que enfrentan deportación. Todo inmigrante que enfrenta deportación debe tener una representación compasiva y de calidad, independientemente de si el caso parece meritorio. TODOS LOS CLIENTES DE CRLAF DEBEN TENER UN INGRESOS DEL HOGAR BAJO EL 125% DE LAS DIRECTRICES FEDERALES DE POBREZA Si está buscando asistencia legal para la defensa de expulsión, llame al 916-446-7901 y deje un mensaje detallado. Si tiene preguntas sobre la Fundación CRLA y el Programa de Defensa de Remoción de la Red Sacramento FUEL, comuníquese con Katie Fleming (kfleming@crlaf.org ).

ACERCA DE CRLAF Stay up to date on our work and accomplishments.

Your 2018 Impact Report: See the Impact of your donation. Your 2020 Impact Report At a time when our clients are the most vulnerable, California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (CRLAF) advocates have stepped up from day one to do what is needed to protect the rights of rural communities. Within hours of Governor Newsom announcing the shelter-in-place mandates, CRLAF legislative advocates and project directors drafted a letter to the Governor calling for workplace protections for farmworkers and financial assistance for families affected by COVID-19 but ineligible for federal stimulus funds. When Governor Newsom announced that he was making available $75 million to provide disaster relief benefits for undocumented individuals, CRLAF was selected as one of the twelve organizations to screen individuals for Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants (DRAI) benefits and disburse close to $4.6 million to families in the eight northern counties of the Central Valley. CRLAF's letter to the Governor was shared with private funders who have also selected CRLAF to disburse an additional $400,000 to undocumented families. In these unprecedented times, CRLAF has stood out as a relentless leader, change agent, and premier community-centered legal service provider committed to championing the rights of essential workers and their families. As we advocated for greater protections for our clients, we also took measures to protect our staff by closing our doors to the public while continuing to provide all services remotely. Even though the doors to our physical offices are temporarily closed to the public, CRLAF advocates have been working around the clock developing timely and culturally responsive information on COVID-benefits, Know Your Rights, and other important resources; advocating for worker and tenant protections, safe living conditions for H2-A workers, night lighting, wildfire protections, heat illness prevention, Health For All, and access to legal services; providing legal assistance to aggrieved workers and immigrants seeking to regularize their immigration status; and advocating to secure the release of individuals from ICE detention centers. You will see from the report below that CRLAF advocates have done truly amazing work on behalf of rural poor families. It is an honor for me to work alongside these advocates for justice, whose skill and understanding about the issues that affect rural communities has earned them the respect and admiration of both our clients and the legal services community. It is also a privilege to work with clients who motivate us with their resilience and hope for a better tomorrow. As we continue to respond to this global pandemic and ensure that the most vulnerable in our communities have the protections and support that they need, we thank you for your support. CRLAF is stronger because of our commitment to shared leadership, caring for and supporting each other, especially in the midst of such unforeseen challenges that threaten everyone's health and well-being, and our passion for justice. Thank you for standing with us; we are stronger together. Respectfully, Amagda Pérez Executive Director Dear Friends, 2020 has been filled with unprecedented challenges raised by a global pandemic that turned every aspect of our normal lives upside down and wildfires that have pushed low-wage workers into greater economic insecurity. At the same time, immigrant communities are still continuously targeted and live in constant fear of being forcibly separated due to the Trump Administration's relentless attacks on immigrants and communities of color. Amagda Pérez, Executive Director 2020 IMPACT REPORT California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation CITIZENSHIP + IMMIGRATION Immigration Relief The 2019-2020 fiscal year required our team to be exceedingly nimble given the unique and serious needs that arose within the communities we serve due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our team worked extremely hard to tackle each challenge and be a source of reliable information and assistance during this unprecedented time. The Immigration Unit’s collective work is organized across four different project areas: Citizenship and Immigration, Removal Defense, San Joaquin Immigrant Empowerment, and the Sacramento FUEL Network. This report reviews each project area’s accomplishments and programs over the past year and discusses our vision for the year to come. COVID-19 Response As soon as California and its local governments began issuing shelter-in-place orders, our team developed and published a comprehensive guide to help undocumented and immigrant community members navigate the public health crisis. We updated this guide on a daily basis, made it available on the CRLAF website in both English and Spanish, and circulated it widely among our partners and networks throughout the Central Valley. CRLAF was 1 of 12 organizations selected by the state of California to administer a $75 million relief fund, the Disaster Relief Assistance for Immigrants (DRAI), to undocumented immigrants who were not eligible to receive the federal government’s CARES Act relief. In the span of only 2 months, over 100 staff members, temporary hires, and volunteers processed over 9,500 DRAI applications and distributed over $4.5 million of $500 payments to 9,173 individuals in 8 Central Valley counties. We also developed other partnerships and established our own Farm Worker Relief Fund to distribute additional, much-needed relief funds to 485 families including individuals who did not receive either CARES Act or DRAI relief. Removal Defense Our removal defense work includes direct representation in detained and non-detained court cases as well as the coordination of the Sacramento Attorney of the Day Program at the Sacramento Immigration Court. The AOD program is only the second such program in the nation, providing a vital consultation and advice service for individuals without prior representation. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, our removal defense casework abruptly shifted focus toward more detained work. Our team took on the representation of 19 detainees, securing release and/or relief for 7 of them. Several of our detained clients that were released are still working with our attorneys toward relief in immigration court. Representation for each of these individuals was accomplished remotely through 30 minute-at-a-time telephone calls often with poor reception. Court hearings were also conducted via phone. LABOR + EMPLOYMENT CRLAF supported a number of critical measures that advanced worker protections in several areas: SB 1383 (which extends unpaid family leave protections to workers employed by employers of 5 or more); AB 2043 (which we tried to amend to provide private enforcement of CAL-OSHA COVID-19 guidances in agricultural occupations, but which was watered down by the author); AB 3053 (which creates an online portal for filing of wage claims); AB 3075 (which requires disclosure of whether any officer or director of a limited liability corporation has outstanding judgments for unpaid wages); and SB 1257 (which extends CAL/OSHA protections to household domestic workers). Our major affirmative legislative effort was sponsorship of SB 1102 (Monning), which was not signed by the Governor. The bill would ensure that all H-2A farm workers admitted into the state of California are informed about fundamental labor, housing, health and safety and other California laws that protect them. All H-2A employers will be mandated by SB 1102 to disclose these protections in writing, in Spanish, on the workers’ first day of work. The bill is the culmination of our advocacy (and watchdog role) in monitoring deficiencies in the H-2A program in this state. No other state has enacted such a law to date. PESTICIDE + WORKER SAFETY Key achievements for 2020 include enactment of a regulation for lighting of night-time agricultural work, bringing forward the practice of granting permits for harvest work within fire evacuation zones in Sonoma county, and improving language access at County Agricultural Commissioners’ offices. Protection from COVID-19 in agricultural and food processing workplaces CRLAF has been working with community based organizations and other advocacy organizations to increase COVID-19 protections for farm workers. Through technical review of newly issued guidelines and research, advocating for increased enforcement, occupation-specific case reporting and development of a COVID-19 specific regulation that includes fieldworkers and packing house workers. After months of work, on September 17, 2020 the Cal-OSHA Standards Board unanimously approved a petition for development of an emergency regulation for protecting workers from COVID-19 hazards. CRLAF will provide input on the rapid development of an emergency standard. Protection of Agricultural and other outdoor Workers from Wildfire Smoke As wildfires increased in size and frequency, a growing number of farmworkers and other outdoor workers were made to continue working in very smoky conditions without any respiratory protection or training. After petitioning the OSHA Standards Board, an emergency regulation was developed and approved in July 2019. The new regulation requires training of outdoor workers in health effects of smoke exposure, rescheduling or relocating work sites to less smoky conditions when possible, and provision of N95 respirators when the air is unhealthy because of wildfire smoke. Last year we learned that Sonoma county was granting permits for grape harvest and other agricultural work within fire evacuation zones. We obtained copies of these permits through a public records request and shared this information with Cal-OSHA, Sonoma county worker advocates and the press. During the fire season this year, many farms permitted their farmworkers to continue harvesting despite Sonoma county’s evacuation zone orders. HEALTHY + SUSTAINABLE RURAL COMMUNITIES COVID-19 Rapid Response, and Recovery Efforts The Sustainable Rural Communities Project was at the forefront of CRLAF’s COVID-19 rapid response relief efforts. In April 2020, CRLAF received a $50,000 grant from the San Joaquin Valley Health Fund to provide pro bono legal consultations to workers whose employment was affected by COVID-19, and to issue $20,000 in relief grants to mixed-status households in the San Joaquin Valley who were ineligible for the CARES Act stimulus and unemployment insurance benefits. In April 2020, we were also granted $250,000 from the The California Endowment to conduct a COVID-19 emergency relief re-granting program to statewide CBOs working on the ground with disproportionately impacted farmworkers. Staff developed and implemented the re-granting program funding 10 CBOs to conduct outreach education, resource allocation and emergency relief. In May 2020, CRLAF convened a virtual meeting with state agencies and our partner CBOs to identify needs and address solutions related to testing, healthcare, food distribution, housing, income support, childcare, transportation and worker safety and protections. Health-4-Kern CRLAF is providing support and resources to the collaborative, Health-4-Kern’s activities to expand health services to all; we are also providing technical assistance on key immigration issues, such as the proposed federal changes in the definition of public charge, and COVID-19 relief initiatives. A fact sheet on the remaining uninsured in Kern County was developed and distributed to Health4Kern partners with estimates of immigrant and undocumented uninsured, coverage and services currently available, and options for expanding care and coverage at clinics and Kern Medical Center. The fact sheet was developed to accurately represent community needs, data and viable solutions and resources. Strategies for expanding coverage for undocumented farmworkers were also developed, but without reliable data, it was hard to estimate specific needs and costs in Kern County. Health4Kern partners then developed an action plan for expanding care and coverage for the uninsured in early 2019. Health4Kern also worked alongside regional and statewide efforts to expand Medi-Cal eligibility to undocumented young adults aged 19-26. In January 2020, this legislation passed. That month the Governor’s budget also included expanding Medi-Cal eligibility to undocumented seniors ages 65 and over. However, the Governor's May revision dropped the planned expansion for seniors due to the COVID-19 emergency. Finally, CRLAF recently prioritized and led a budget request to update a 20-year old study of farmworker health data. We gained final approval in the state budget for a 3-year study in the amount of $1.5 million. This data will be used to inform policy and demonstrate the severe inequities rural immigrants face, strengthening our argument for stronger health and safety protections for all client communities. Safe Drinking Water Since 2015, our team has administered an Interim Emergency Bottled Water program to the two unincorporated farmworker communities in western Fresno County with over 700 residents. We continue to advocate with the residents of Cantua Creek and El Porvenir for a permanent solution to the communities' need for clean, safe drinking water. We also work with California's Water Resources Control Board to ensure both communities continue to receive uninterrupted bottled water delivery until a permanent solution is reached. Dreamers-in-Action: Building Community Capacity This past year, SRCP hosted two Dreamers-in-Action Fellows (a.k.a. the Health, Immigration & Census Fellows). The fellows effectively promoted access to immigration relief and information about immigration laws to the rural poor while engaging in outreach and education related, but not limited to: Medi-Cal, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), local safety-net programs, and the 2020 Census. The fellows also advanced CRLAF’s regional efforts and collaborated with our Citizenship + Immigration Department on: (a) increasing the number of qualified legal permanent residents who apply for U.S. citizenship, (b) providing resources to help them with the naturalization process, and (c) encouraging them to become more fully civically engaged. SAN JOAQUIN EMPOWERMENT PROJECT Immigration and Health Law Project The San Joaquin Immigrant Empowerment Project’s work centers around the complex intersection of health rights, public health, immigrants’ rights, and immigration law. During this fiscal year, we focused especially on providing immigration legal services, advocacy, education and outreach, and legal training. We also provided technical assistance to other community partners addressing two major challenges facing immigrant communities: the administration’s new 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 health care and testing, eligibility for public benefits, limited disaster relief options, and workers rights. COVID-19 Response To remedy the chilling effect on public benefits enrollment created by the new public charge, CRLAF focused on community education, outreach and direct services. We spent the second half of this fiscal year ensuring that our public charge messaging was consistent with parallel messaging about how the pandemic has affected immigrant access to health care and social services, and what services immigrant communities legally have to access, regardless of immigration status. Additionally, we 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. Currently, from San Joaquin to near Fresno county, CRLAF is the only organization taking these types of cases at no cost. Most 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 in these regions. We plan to continue finding support for such work moving forward. LABOR + CIVIL RIGHTS LITIGATION Over the past year, we recovered over $450,000 in back wages and penalties through settlements of several wage and hour cases. We have also provided remote outreach and know-your-rights presentations on housing and employment. As part of our outreach work, this team created many infographics detailing how workers can access critical safety-net supports, including access to healthcare, food banks, and information on workers rights and protections under California law. To address the COVID-19 related housing crisis and forthcoming wave of evictions, we are putting energy toward the creation of a remote legal aid housing clinic to assist mixed-status families, specifically around the Sacramento and Fresno regions. The team continued working on its case docket, including three class action cases: two H-2A cases and one case representing nursery workers. The team was also able to resolve two employment cases and two housing cases representing farmworkers and dairy workers. We collaborated with two other organizations on a brief submitted to the California Supreme Court titled Naranjo v. Spectrum Security Services, Inc. In it, we urged the Court to find that the premium pay under Section 226.7 are wages and must be included on wage statements and paid in full when an employee quits or is discharged. A decision finding otherwise chisels into the remedial protection frame worker existing for over a century, creating a crack in the foundation of protections supporting employees rights. We joined the amicus brief submitted to the California Supreme Court in Vazquez, et al., v. Jan-Pro Franchising International. The issue in Vazquez—whether Dynamex’s ABC test applies to the misclassification of janitors as franchisees—applies to our clients and is a similar tactic used by growers to avoid liability. Both of these cases are pending. We also joined the amicus brief submitted to the district court and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Castillo, et al., v. Whitmer, et al., regarding an order issued by the Governor of Michigan requiring employers to test all farmworkers and migrant housing camps to test all residents for COVID-19. Growers found a couple of farmworkers to sign on as plaintiffs and challenge the Order as discriminatory towards Latinos. Both the district court and the Sixth Circuit denied the grower’s motion for preliminary injunction. The outcome of this case would have impacted other states’ orders protecting the safety and health of farmworkers. The case has been dismissed. Finally, the team intervened in City of Huntington Beach v. State of California with Western Center on Law and Poverty to support the State against Huntington Beach’s challenge to two key pieces of house legislation. These two pieces declare that cities must accommodate high density housing. Huntington Beach challenged the State’s power to enforce this housing element law against them and other charter cities.

INMIGRACIÓN + CIUDADANÍA Caminos hacia la ciudadanía + unidad familiar El Proyecto de Inmigración ofrece una amplia educación comunitaria y divulgación, defensa, capacitación, asistencia legal y técnica en las comunidades inmigrantes más marginadas de las zonas rurales de California. El Proyecto de Inmigración + Integración de Inmigrantes de CRLAF se enfoca en proporcionar alcance e información sobre el proceso de naturalización, los efectos del programa "Comunidades Seguras" del DHS en los inmigrantes, las consecuencias de inmigración de condenas penales, y alivio y beneficios de inmigración. Los abogados brindan capacitación a los defensores de la comunidad sobre la ley de inmigración y naturalización y asistencia directa a las comunidades inmigrantes con la solicitud de ciudadanía, VAWA, visas T, visas U, Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia y ayuda para menores no acompañados (asilo y SIJS). Desde 1993, en colaboración con nuestras organizaciones asociadas, CRLAF ha brindado información sobre el proceso de naturalización y los cambios en las leyes de bienestar e inmigración a más de 38,000 inmigrantes, capacitados cerca de 2400 voluntarios de la comunidad, asistió a aproximadamente 33,060 residentes permanentes legales para completar la solicitud de naturalización, evaluó a 18,265 solicitantes en habilidades de ciudadanía, realizó 3306 simulacros de entrevistas de naturalización, realizó 1984 entrevistas de seguimiento para solicitantes con casos complicados de naturalización y representó a 993 solicitantes en sus entrevistas de naturalización en el Valle Central. Desde 2012, CRLAF ha llevado a cabo actividades de divulgación sobre Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA) y los derechos de los padres indocumentados para designar a un familiar de confianza como tutor legal de sus hijos ciudadanos estadounidenses en caso de que los padres sean detenidos por el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE) ) En colaboración con nuestros socios, hemos podido proporcionar servicios informativos sobre DACA, VAWA y visas U a más de 5,000 inmigrantes y hemos ayudado a más de 350 niños que llegan para solicitar DACA. También representamos a menores no acompañados indocumentados en sus solicitudes de estatus de inmigrante juvenil especial, asilo y otras formas de alivio de inmigración. Regularmente realizamos presentaciones comunitarias de "Conozca sus derechos" para aumentar la capacidad y el liderazgo en nuestras comunidades para que los inmigrantes puedan tomar decisiones informadas sobre los beneficios que solicitan y también para protegerse del fraude de consultores de inmigración. El Proyecto de Integración de Inmigración + Inmigración de CRLAF brinda servicios informativos, asistencia legal de alta calidad, apoyo de defensa y desarrollo de capacidades comunitarias para brindar a los inmigrantes la oportunidad de ser parte del proceso de toma de decisiones que afecta a sus familias y comunidad. Para comunicarse con la unidad de inmigración, llame al (916) 446-7901.

ACERCA DE CRLAF At California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, we are committed to ensuring that our website, www.crlaf.org , is accessible to all individuals. We strive to adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards to provide an inclusive online experience for all users. Accessibility Features Alternative Text: We provide alternative text for all images on our website to ensure they are accessible to screen readers and other assistive technologies. Keyboard Navigation: Our website can be navigated using only a keyboard, allowing users who cannot use a mouse or touchpad to access all content and features. Clear Structure and Headings: We use appropriate headings and structure to ensure that content is organized and easily navigable by screen readers and individuals using assistive technologies. Accessible Forms: We ensure that all forms on our website are accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities, including those using screen readers or other assistive technologies. Color Contrast: We maintain sufficient color contrast between text and background elements to ensure readability for individuals with low vision or color blindness. Video Captioning: Any video content on our website is provided with captions to ensure that individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can access the information presented. Accessible PDFs: Wherever possible, we provide accessible PDF documents that are compatible with screen readers and other assistive technologies. Feedback We are continuously working to improve the accessibility of our website. If you encounter any accessibility barriers or have suggestions for improvement, please contact our Administration Specialist, Claudia Guzman Bogusz at: Phone: (916) 446-7904, ext. 132 E-mail: cguzman@crlaf.org Visitor Address: 2210 K Street, Suite 201, Sacramento, CA 95816. Accessibility Standards Compliance While we make every effort to adhere to the WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, we acknowledge that achieving full accessibility may be an ongoing process. We are committed to regularly reviewing and updating our website to ensure that it remains accessible to all users. Date of Last Revision This accessibility statement was last updated on March 25th, 2024.

Critical information and resources to help immigrant communities navigate this challenging time. ACERCA DE CRLAF California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation (CRLAF) and the Sacramento Family Unity, Education, and Legal (FUEL) Network for Immigrants are committed to supporting and serving immigrants throughout the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and have compiled critical information and resources to help immigrant communities navigate this challenging time. We will continue updating this document throughout the pandemic as much of this information is rapidly changing on a daily basis. Eng/Esp-Información en Medi-Cal para inmigrantes (2024) Coronavirus Resources (2020) Recursos de Coronavirus (2020) Julio 2020 COVID-19 Recursos é Informacion Más > Hemos recopilado información importante y recursos para ayudar a las comunidades migrantes a navegar este tiempo difícil. Continuaremos actualizando este documento durante de la pandemia, puesto que mucha de esta información cambia constantemente. (actualizado a partir del 20 de julio de 2020) April 2020 Salubridad Laboral Video En Español > Esta infografía tiene información sobre sus derechos como trabajador de California, sus derechos al salario mínimo, sobretiempo, descansos, no han cambiado. PDF Download > Labor + Civil Rights July 2020 COVID-19 Resources and Information Read More > Critical information and resources to help immigrant communities navigate this challenging time. We will continue updating this document throughout the pandemic as much of this information is rapidly changing on a daily basis. (updated July 20, 2020) April 2020 SDI en California Video en Español > Esta infografía tiene información sobre que es el Seguro de Discapacidad disponible para los trabajadores de California, sin importar su estatus legal. PDF Download > Labor + Civil Rights April 2020 Derechos de los Trabajadores Video En Español > Esta infografía tiene información sobre sus derechos como trabajador de California, sus derechos al salario mínimo, sobretiempo, descansos, no han cambiado. PDF Download > Labor + Civil Rights April 2020 Dispensario de Comida Video En Español > Esta infografía le explica cómo encontrar dispensarios de comida (food banks) por internet cercas de usted. PDF Download > Labor + Civil Rights