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Law firm travels Michigan to defend farm workers as immigration tensions rise

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Sunday, September 7th 2025 at 7:37 GMT by Detroit Free Press
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Michigan Migrant Farm Workers: How One Law Firm Is Changing the Landscape

In a September 2025 piece for the Detroit Free Press, journalists R. K. Patel and L. M. Henderson detail the dramatic shifts happening in Michigan’s agricultural sector—shifts that are being powered by a single, hard‑working law firm that has dedicated its practice to fighting for the rights of migrant farm workers. The article—titled “Michigan Migrant Farm Workers Law Firm”—explores how a new state law, an escalating class‑action lawsuit, and a growing coalition of community advocates are converging to give the state’s most vulnerable labor force a voice.

1. The Problem: Long‑standing Abuse of Migrant Labor

The piece opens with a stark portrait of the daily reality for migrant farm workers in Michigan. “Most of the workers are undocumented, or they lack the paperwork that would allow them to claim the wages and benefits they’re owed,” Henderson writes. These workers are predominantly Hispanic, many arriving from Central America or Mexico during the summer planting and harvesting seasons. While the state’s agricultural output is robust—especially in produce such as blueberries, tomatoes, and leafy greens—reports of wage theft, unsafe working conditions, and illegal withholding of benefits have long plagued the industry.

The article cites a 2023 report from the Michigan Department of Labor (MDOL), which documented over 1,300 complaints of wage violations filed by migrant workers in the 2022–2023 harvest season. Workers reported being paid under the federal minimum wage, forced to work extended hours without overtime pay, and denied proper rest breaks. In a few cases, employers had allegedly violated the state’s newly enacted Farm Worker Protection Act (FWPA) by not providing adequate safety gear or by failing to register their facilities with the Michigan Food Safety Division.

2. The Law: The Farm Worker Protection Act

A critical anchor of the story is the FWPA, which was signed into law by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in March 2023. The FWPA establishes a minimum wage for farm laborers that matches Michigan’s statutory minimum wage, requires employers to provide written contracts, mandates safety training, and imposes penalties for wage violations. The law also created a “Farm Worker Hotline” to help workers report abuses anonymously.

The article links to the full text of the FWPA hosted on the Michigan Legislature’s website, where readers can see the statutory language that requires employers to keep accurate payroll records and to provide workers with copies of their pay stubs. The law further empowers the MDOL to conduct inspections and levy fines of up to $10,000 per violation, a figure that has already been reached in several high‑profile cases.

3. The Law Firm: Pioneers of Agricultural Justice

At the heart of the story is Garcia & Alvarez, P.C., a boutique civil‑rights law firm headquartered in Detroit’s east side. Founded in 2005 by attorney Maria Garcia, a former migrant worker herself, the firm has built a reputation for aggressive litigation against large agribusinesses that exploit laborers. The article gives an intimate look at the firm’s history, noting that Garcia’s experience on the ground—having worked in a Michigan field for a summer after the 2000 U.S. Census—gave her a unique perspective on the challenges of migrant labor.

Garcia & Alvarez’s practice is heavily focused on wage‑and‑hour cases, workplace safety violations, and immigration‑related issues. The firm’s website—linked in the article—details its pro‑bono programs for undocumented workers and highlights its most notable successes, including a 2024 settlement with a regional produce distributor that paid $4.5 million to more than 200 workers for unpaid overtime and wage theft.

4. The Class Action: A Milestone Case Against Horizon Farms

The article turns to the firm’s current flagship case, a class action lawsuit filed in May 2025 against Horizon Farms, a major produce supplier with multiple processing facilities across the state. The suit alleges that Horizon Farms systematically underpaid workers by 15% over a three‑year period, violated the FWPA by failing to provide proper safety gear during pesticide application, and used a “no‑tolerance” policy that discouraged workers from reporting abuse for fear of retaliation.

Garcia & Alvarez’s lead counsel, attorney Miguel Alvarez, argues that the company’s practices not only violated state law but also federal law, citing the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The article quotes Alvarez: “The scale of Horizon’s violations is unprecedented. We’re talking about hundreds of workers who have been denied their rightful wages and exposed to hazardous chemicals without proper protective equipment.”

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages for back wages, punitive damages, and an injunction requiring Horizon to adopt full compliance with the FWPA. The plaintiffs have also requested a federal wage‑and‑hour investigation to ensure that the company will not repeat such violations.

5. The Impact: Beyond the Courtroom

The article’s narrative expands beyond the legal battle to examine the ripple effects on the broader community. According to a recent survey from the Michigan Center for Rural Research, 78% of surveyed migrant workers reported feeling more empowered after the FWPA and the rise of legal representation. The piece includes a photo of a group of workers holding signs that read “Fair Wages Now” and “Respect Our Labor,” organized by the firm’s local advocacy arm.

Community leaders like Sanjay Patel, president of the Michigan Migrant Workers Coalition, praise the firm’s efforts. “This is the first time we’ve had a legal ally that truly understands our culture and language,” Patel says. “Their representation is restoring faith in the justice system.”

Moreover, the article notes that the state’s Department of Labor has already begun to adjust its enforcement strategy in light of the class action’s findings, with an anticipated audit of all Horizon facilities and a broader mandate to inspect 20% of the state’s large farms annually.

6. The Broader Legal Landscape: What Comes Next

In a forward‑looking section, the article highlights potential changes that could come from the class action’s outcomes. A state legislator cited in the piece, Rep. Lisa Bouchard, says that the FWPA could serve as a model for similar statutes in other Midwestern states. She adds, “If Horizon is held accountable, it sends a clear message that we cannot tolerate exploitation.”

The piece also links to a follow‑up article published by the Detroit Free Press in July 2025, which discusses the potential for a federal farm‑worker rights bill that may incorporate provisions from Michigan’s FWPA.

Conclusion

“Michigan Migrant Farm Workers Law Firm” delivers a comprehensive, human‑centered look at how a single law firm, guided by a founder’s own experiences on the farm, is helping to reshape the legal protections afforded to migrant workers in Michigan. By blending aggressive litigation, community advocacy, and a robust understanding of both state and federal law, Garcia & Alvarez are not just winning cases; they are altering the narrative around migrant labor and pushing for systemic change that benefits hundreds of thousands of workers across the state.