HUD is working with other federal agencies to reach out to partners everywhere to help improve the housing and communities of migrant/farmworkers and people living in colonias. The Federal Interagency Legal Working Group for Colonias and Migrant Farmworker Issues has formed to help local groups - including legal aid groups -across the nation address the unique needs of these people. This legal aid initiative is part of HUD's Southwest Border Region, Colonias and Migrant/Farmworker Initiatives (SWBR).
Why Do We Need The Working Group? Residents of colonias and migrant farmworker communities face unique legal issues ranging from discrimination based on national origin to predatory lending and illegal land sales. Legal aid associations, and other local organizations working in these communities, have expressed the need for increased federal attention on the legal issues facing theses communities.
What Will We Do? The goal of the initiative is to connect federal, state, and local government agencies and community organizations, such as legal aid groups, to discuss and solve legal problems that impact colonias and migrant farmworker communities. By working together, the government can be more effective in addressing these problems and enforcing laws.
How Can You Participate? If you work with people who live in colonias or farmworkers and you have a question or issue to bring to the Working Group, send us an email. We will get back to you as soon as we can. Be sure to include your name and a phone number so we can contact you for more information.
Do you have questions or suggestions about our Working Group? Let us know.
Related Information
- Library of Congress - search for Migrant and Seasonal Agriculture Workers Protection Act, 29 U.S.C.S. § 1801 and Wage and Hour Division, Department of Labor, Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection, 29 CFR Part 500
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law school
- Department of Labor (DOL)
- DOL Wage Hour Division
- DOL Occupational Health and Safety Division
- Department of Justice (DOJ)
- DOJ Civil Rights Division
- Social Security Administration
- Social Security guidelines for farmworkers
- Internal Revenue Service
- IRS Employer's Tax Guide
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Department of Agriculture
- Department of Health and Human Services guidance on specific populations
- Federal Grants
Here are the current members of the Federal Interagency Legal Working Group for Colonias and Farmworker Issues. If you are a federal attorney working on these issues and you would like to join the group, please let us know.
- Carol Quiller, Department of Treasury, IRS/Stakeholders, Partnerships, Education & Communication (SPEC)
- Louisa Quittman Department of Treasury, Director, Community Programs
- Sebastian Aloot, Department of Justice
- Erik Lang Department of Justice
- Luke Reynolds, FDIC
- Cyrena Khoury Homeland Security, Office of Civil Rights/Civil Liberties, and
- Bruce Friedman Homeland Security, Office of Civil Rights/Civil Liberties
- Juan Regaldo , Department of Labor
- Daniel J. Carroll, Department of Labor
- Yvonne D. Jones HUD Office of General Counsel, Program & Compliance Division
- Marica Gomez, HHS/HRSA
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Videos on legal topics
- Employment Discrimination: Department of Labor and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission presentation on Workplace Discrimination.
- Earned Income Tax Credit and Building Community Based Coalitions with the IRS. Internal Revenue Service discusses who is eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Learn how to partner with IRS to provide services such as free tax preparation.
- Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act. HUD presentation on registration and other requirements mandated by HUD for developers who sell land in colonias regions. Lean about possible remedies available when a developer violates the Act and encourages illegal settlements.
- Immigration Related Unfair Employment Practices. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division presentation on the rights and remedies available to worker who have been discriminated against based on immigration status.
- Accessing Primary Health Care for Farmworkers. Department of Health and Human Services presentation on how to obtain free health care services for farmworkers.
- Human Trafficking: Find out what human trafficking is, how to spot it, and what to do if you see it happening.