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Forty workers at an agricultural packing shed at Battleboro Produce in North Carolina are now part of a union. (courtesy of Farm Labor Organizing Committee)

NC union agreement ushers in benefits for immigrant ag workers

Immigrant workers at an agricultural packing shed in Battleboro, North Carolina are celebrating a union agreement which will bring them new benefits…

Around 10% of workers in the United States are employed with H-2A visas, according to The National Agriculture Law Center. (Adobe Stock)

North Carolina farmworkers and growers call for better working conditions

Migrant farmworkers and small family farmers in North Carolina got together to form an alliance to advocate for sustainable agricultural supply chains…

International students comprise 5% of all students in higher education. (Adobe Stock)

Undocumented NC Students Call for Tuition Fairness

Some North Carolina students are calling on legislators to propose a bill to allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at community colleges…

Many of the nation's more than 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States do not have access to any form of identification, according to the Center for American Progress. (Adobe Stock)

NC’s Anti-Community ID Bill Could Harm Immigrant Families

Providers of community IDs for North Carolina's immigrant communities say proposed legislation banning police officers and local governments from reco…

La proporci�n de estudiantes hispanos K-12 en las escuelas de EE. UU. se ha triplicado, del 9 % en 1984 al 28 % en la actualidad, seg�n UnidosUS. (Adobe Stock)

Líderes latinos de Carolina del Norte piden más apoyo cultural bilingüe

Líderes educativos latinos de Carolina del Norte ven la necesidad de más capacitación bilingüe y de sensibilidad cultural en las a…

North Carolina is one of the largest users of a type of temporary agricultural visa with between 14,000 and 17,000 H-2A visa workers annually, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. (Adobe Stock)

Unionized Farmworkers Reach Pact with Hundreds of NC Farms

Unionized farmworkers recently signed a collective-bargaining agreement with the North Carolina Growers Association. The new agreement protects the …

The proportion of Hispanic K-12 students in U.S. schools has increased threefold, from 9%<br />in 1984 to 28% today, according to UnidosUS. (Adobe Stock)

NC Latino Leaders Call for More Bilingual, Cultural Support

North Carolina's Latino education leaders see a need for more bilingual and cultural sensitivity training in the state's classrooms. The group …

FLOC was founded in 1968 to defend the rights and basic human dignity of farm workers regardless of immigration status. (Heather Craig / Adobe Stock)

FLOC Convention Resolves to Make Common Cause with Small Farmers

Leaders of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee want to change the narrative about agriculture in America. FLOC members who gathered in Toledo, Ohio…

La investigaci�n ha demostrado que los mensajes en redes sociales de aplicaciones como WhatsApp, de fuentes confiables, pueden aumentar la propagaci�n de la desinformaci�n. (Adobe Stock)

Aplicaciones de mensajería aumentan desinformación entre votantes latinos

Encuestas recientes muestran que más del 60 % de los votantes latinos reportan exposición a información falsa o no verificada sobre pol…

Research has shown that social media messaging from apps such as WhatsApp, from trusted sources, can increase the spread of disinformation. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Messenger Apps Driving Exposure to Disinformation Among Latino Voters

Recent polling shows more than 60% of Latino voters report exposure to false or unverified about politics, the COVID vaccine and abortion, and …

Agricultural producers of color own over 73 million acres of farmland and rent or lease more than 21 million acres of farmland, according to a 2022 report from the Congressional Research Service. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Push to Reform Food Sector Through BIPOC, Immigrant-Owned Cooperatives

As more farm and food cooperatives pop up across North Carolina, advocates say they are creating a new model for food distribution and landownership …

Only 20% of Latinos with mental-health issues talk with a primary-care physician, according to a U.S. Surgeon General's report. (Adobe Stock)

NC Health Center Aims to Reduce Mental-Health Stigma Among Latinos

Stigma around mental health and a lack of resources available in Spanish means many individuals in North Carolina's Latino community are going without…

Staff prepare to vaccinate North Carolina residents at a pop-up clinic run by the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO. (Christiana Wagner/FLOC)

Mobile COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Gears Up for Influx of NC Migrant Workers

An all-volunteer vaccine clinic run by a farmworkers' union says it's expecting an increase in demand from seasonal migrant workers who want to be vac…

Farmworkers suffer from higher blood pressure compared with the general public, putting them at increased risk for heart disease and diabetes; yet many face challenges accessing health care. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Rural NC Farmworker Clinics Rely on APRNs

Volunteer Advanced Practice Registered Nurses serve North Carolina's most vulnerable communities, yet many say the state's supervising physician …

North Carolina ranks sixth in the nation for the number of migrant farmworkers employed on agricultural farms. (Adobe Stock)

NC Faith Leaders to Meet with Reynolds Tobacco on Farmworkers’ Rights

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Faith leaders are urging tobacco companies to support migrant workers employed by their contract farms. A group of clergy will meet …

A team of community-based organizations across North Carolina recently interviewed dozens of parents of young children for their views about the state's social-emotional health ecosystem. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Survey: Resources Scarce for NC Parents of Young Kids

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A new survey of more than 200 North Carolina parents of young children finds a lot of concern - and at times, panic and even …

Legislative maps of areas such as Charlotte are changing because of a surge in population growth. (Adobe Stock)

Census Delay Could Pose Problems for Fair NC Redistricting

RALEIGH, N.C. - Every ten years, states use the census to redraw congressional and state legislative districts, but delays in the release of 2020 …

Members of the Farm Labor Organizing Committee filed a class-action lawsuit against a North Carolina farm labor contractor over stolen wages.(FLOC)

"Stolen" Back Wages Paid to NC Farmworkers in Class-Action Lawsuit

RALEIGH, N.C. - Several major North Carolina growers have agreed to compensate a group of seasonal farmworkers for stolen wages and other expenses in …

Climate change could result in the displacement of more than 140 million people - particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and Latin America - before 2050, according to a 2018 World Bank Group report. (Adobe Stock)

As NC Temps Rise, Climate Migrants Expected to Increase

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Experts say food shortages, housing insecurity and other hardships many North Carolinians are experiencing from the pandemic could …

Jos Indalecio, a tractor operator, sits in his living quarters at a Johnston County farmworker camp on Aug. 27. The camp does not have air conditioning, which is considered a luxury by many farmworkers in North Carolina. (Travis Long, TLONG@NEWSOBSERVER.COM)

NC Farmworkers Likely to Face Another Long, Hot Summer

Print version by Adam Wagner and Aaron Sánchez-Guerra Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for The Raleigh News & Observer - North Ca…

Farmworker Jose Luis Cipriana compares an old and new water pouch design. The pouches hold water bottles in an effort to give farmworkers a chance to stay hydrated during their work day. (Travis Long/tlong@newsobserver.com)

Heat Illness Stalks NC Farmworkers; More Forecast

Print version by Adam Wagner and Aaron Sánchez-Guerra Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan Reporting for The Raleigh News & Observer - North Ca…

North Carolina is one of the largest users of the H-2A guest worker program, employing between 14,000 and 17,000 H-2A migrant workers annually. (Adobe Stock)

Farm Workers' Union Calls for Suspension of Labor Contractors' Licenses

RALEIGH, N.C. - A farm workers' union wants the U.S. Department of Labor to suspend its H-2A Labor Contractor program. Farm labor contractors often …

Latinx residents and Black Americans comprise 55% of coronavirus cases, nearly double their U.S. population makeup, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released in June. (Adobe Stock)

Pandemic Highlights Public Health’s Neglect of NC Latinx Community

RALEIGH, N.C. -- COVID-19 cases have spiked among the state's Latinx community, yet most of these residents can't access basic health services…

Juana Ortega remains in sanctuary in a church in North Carolina. Her case is highlighted in the film Santuario. (Working Films/WomenAdvaNCe)

‘Santuario’ Highlights Plight of NC Mother Under Immigration Law

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Juana Ortega came to the United States in the 1990s seeking political asylum from Guatemala, but for the past few years she's been …

Immigrant college graduates in the class of 2020 missed traditional graduation ceremonies due to the coronavirus. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Immigrant College Grads Celebrate Resiliency, Look to Uncertain Future

RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina's first generation immigrant college grads have missed out on rite-of-passage graduation ceremonies, and many now are …

Two union members and tobacco workers on a North Carolina farm. (Farm Labor Organizing Committee)

Union: Tobacco Giants Ignore NC Farm Workers' Concerns

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A labor union representing more than 9,000 farmworkers says the coronavirus pandemic has made working conditions worse for migrant …

Supreme Court, court of appeals and district court judges are nominated by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. (Adobe Stock)

Fast-Tracked Confirmations Reshaping Federal Judiciary

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Over the past few years, the U.S. Senate has confirmed 185 of President Donald Trump's judicial nominees, the majority of whom have …

Some Durham workers hold paychecks owed to them for work they completed nearly one year ago. (Siembra NC)

Durham Immigrant Workers Win Back Thousands in Unpaid Wages

DURHAM, N.C. -- A group of largely undocumented immigrant workers in the Triangle has successfully pressured a local employer to compensate the …

Many North Carolina farms rely heavily on migrant workers for the labor-intensive tobacco harvest. (Adobe Stock)

Labor Organizers Face Hurdles Trying to Reach Migrant Workers

RALEIGH, N.C. - Labor organizers says several North Carolina farms are blocking them from being able to speak and provide information to migrant …

North Carolina Asian Americans Together and other advocacy organizations have expressed opposition to the Trump administration's move to broaden who is considered to be a

NC’s Asian-American Community “On Edge” Amid Immigration Law Changes

RALEIGH, N.C. — Trepidation is rising in North Carolina's Asian-American community amid recent changes to federal immigration law slated to go …

Family separation can cause serious psychological damage to migrant children. (Adobe Stock)

NC Moms Protest ICE Raids, Family Separation’s Devastating Effect on Children

RALEIGH, N.C. — Amid President Donald Trump's announcement of an increase in nationwide ICE raids and immigration arrests this month, mothers …

If passed into law, House Bill 370 would require North Carolina sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigration officials. (Adobe Stock)

NC Senate Passes Bill Requiring Law Enforcement to Cooperate with ICE

RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina legislators have passed House Bill 370, which, if enacted into law, would force county sheriffs to assist Immigration …

'Public Charge' Change May Affect Many NC Children

RALEIGH, N.C. – Advocates for immigrants say changes to the definition of "public charge," a term used to issue green cards and permanent …

Between 2000 and 2016, North Carolina�s Asian-American population grew by 144 percent, the fastest rate among Southern states and the second-fastest in the U.S. (Twenty20)

Asian-American Voters Could Play Key Role in NC Midterms

RALEIGH, N.C. – Asian Americans are one of North Carolina's fastest-growing demographics. At more than 89,000 registered voters, that number …

With North Carolina's growing immigrant population, advocates say adding a citizenship question will result in an inaccurate count of the people in the state. (Andrea Donato Alemanno/flickr.com)

NC is Counting on Accurate 2020 Census

RALEIGH, N.C. - Adding a question about citizenship to the 2020 U.S. Census may sound innocuous, but immigrant advocates say it will have a far-…

Experts suggest sharing information about a suspicious call with a friend before you share any financial information. (Sam Carpenter/Flickr)

Immigrant Community Increasingly Targeted by Scammers

RALEIGH, N.C. – Scammers are targeting North Carolinians, with the state ranking 16th in the country for numbers of scam reports to the Federal …

Some people visited Raleigh businesses Thursday to hand-write letters outlining their opposition to legislation that allows local officers to enforce federal immigration law. (Trey Roberts)

Raleigh Businesses Help Fight Bill Seen as Anti-Immigrant

RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina State Senate is pushing ahead with legislation that would give state patrol officers the right to enforce …

Small towns like Lansing, N.C., need residents who will start businesses and put down roots. Some in Congress are concerned that ending the DACA program will inhibit that. (Tom Fowler Aerial Photography/Wikipedia)

NC Rural Communities Have Most to Lose with End of DACA

HIGH POINT, N.C. – While Congress seems in no hurry to resolve the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, some …

Many of the foods North Carolina families eat at Thanksgiving are harvested by migrant farmworkers. (Deb Nystrom/flickr)

Farmworkers, Civil Rights Groups Sue State Over Law

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The state of North Carolina is a defendant in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday challenging a state law that prevents farmworkers …

A report released today says North Carolina children could do better with increased access to education, healthcare and economy opportunities for their parents. (amoswright/flickr)

Not So Fast: NC Children of Color Face Obstacles to Success

RALEIGH, N.C. – The road to success has a few more bumps in it for children of color in North Carolina. That assessment is supported by a …

NC Groups Receive Infusion of Funds to Assist "Dreamers"

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – As the futures of young immigrants in the DACA program hang in limbo, a North Carolina foundation is providing funds to …

So far, three North Carolina churches are offering sanctuary to people at risk of deportation. (Diane Brennan/flickr)

Immigration Debate: NC Churches Called to Law of Love

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – With the future of DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and of Dreamers and other immigrants in question, a …

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End of DACA Spells Uncertainty for 27,000 North Carolinians

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Trump administration's announcement Tuesday that it plans to phase out the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA…

The North Carolina Council of Churches quotes scripture on a billboard on Interstate 40 near Statesville. (NC Council of Churches)

NC Churches Spread Message of Love on I-40

STATESVILLE, N.C. – A religious debate is taking place along a stretch of one of North Carolina's major interstates. This week, drivers on I-40 …

Deportees from the United States crowd into a small room to receive information from an immigration official in El Salvador. (Fronteras Desk/flickr)

NC Churches Step Up to Provide Sanctuary to Immigrants

RALEIGH, N.C. -- At least two churches in North Carolina have publicly declared that they will offer sanctuary to immigrants at risk of deportation …

Farm workers are often paid for each bucket of kale they pick on North Carolina farms. (Dennis Amith/flickr.com)

NC Farmers Accused of Using Immigration Threats to Discourage Legal Claims

ROSE HILL, N.C. – You might not look at your kale smoothie the same way again. Four migrant farmworkers recently settled a class action …

Case workers and police report reduced instances of reporting domestic violence and abuse in immigrant communities, linking it to the current political climate. (Metropolico.org/Flickr)

Advocates: Threats of Deportation Reducing Reports of Domestic Violence

RALEIGH, N.C. – One in three Latinas has experienced domestic violence, according to the National Latina Network, and now many of them face a …

Saul Berenthal, a Cuban-American entrepreneur, meets President Barack Obama during a visit to Cuba. (S. Berenthal)

NC Group Focuses on Global Trade to Create Jobs

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — North Carolina exports more than $30 billion worth of goods and services annually, supporting more than 150,000 jobs…

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