Quarterly Update - July 1st

Dear Friends,

As we approach the United States’ annual commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, our work reflects the understanding that patriotism is both a celebration and a responsibility. Independence Day invites us to honor the enduring ideals of liberty and justice while recognizing that our nation has always required the work of advocates, change-makers, and visionaries to fully realize them.

We celebrate the promise of our democracy and the strength and resilience of those who continue to strengthen it. We also acknowledge the uncertainty and hardship many Californians are experiencing as a result of recent federal policies and actions that have created fear, instability, and barriers to justice for immigrant families, low-income workers, and rural communities. To honor those experiences, we work to hold our institutions accountable and to ensure that our laws, policies, and governmental actions reflect the values of fairness, dignity, and equal protection.

At CRLA Foundation, our work is grounded in respect for our clients and our communities. Every day, we partner with advocates, attorneys, and community organizations to expand access to justice, strengthen legal protections, and defend the rights of underserved communities across California.

This quarter, we are proud to share several updates from our recent work.

Advancing Immigrant Justice

CRLA Foundation joined an amicus brief urging the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn Rodriguez-Zuniga, a decision that incorrectly interprets and applies the legal standard governing the nexus requirement in asylum cases. Ensuring that asylum law is applied consistently and faithfully protects people fleeing persecution and preserves the integrity of our immigration system.

We remain deeply concerned by recent Supreme Court decisions affecting immigrant communities, including rulings that have allowed the federal government to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections for hundreds of thousands of long-term residents and have narrowed procedural protections for people seeking asylum. These decisions underscore the importance of our continued advocacy and direct services to impacted clients to ensure our laws remain meaningful in practice. 

Protecting Farmworkers' Rights

CRLAF recently participated as amicus curiae in Sun Valley v. Dept. Of Labor, currently being adjudicated in the U.S. Supreme Court. Amici stand in favor of a ruling allowing U.S. Department of Labor to assess and adjudicate civil penalties against growers and contractors in administrative hearings, rather than requiring an Article III judge to adjudicate these claims. If the Court were to require the U.S. Department of Labor to adjudicate claims in federal court, it would severely affect the enforcement and rights of H-2A workers and domestic workers. DOL currently conducts administrative adjudication of claims because they do not have sufficient resources and capacity to take every single case to court. The National Lawyers Guild drafted an amicus brief in support of DOL's authority to adjudicate claims in administrative proceedings, arguing that DOL adjudicating civil penalties in administrative hearings is addressing a public rights issue and not a common law contract issue. 

CRLA Foundation joined the United Farm Workers (UFW) and a broad coalition of labor, immigration, and farmworker organizations in opposing the Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act (SAWA). While presented as a workforce solution, the legislation would significantly expand the H-2A guest worker program without adequately addressing longstanding concerns about worker protections. The coalition raised concerns that the bill would reduce wage standards for many farmworkers, expand employer control over vulnerable workers, and increase reliance on a temporary guest worker system that can leave workers with limited ability to exercise their rights. CRLA Foundation supports immigration and agricultural workforce reforms that protect workers' rights, ensure fair wages, and promote safe working conditions for everyone who labors in our nation's fields.

CRLA Foundation joined legal services organizations in the submission of a public comment letter opposing the U.S. Department of Labor's proposed rule, "Joint Employer Status Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act." The proposed rule would narrow the definition of who qualifies as a joint employer, making it more difficult for workers and their advocates to hold all responsible employers accountable for wage theft, unsafe working conditions, and other workplace violations. For farmworkers, who are often employed through labor contractors and complex employment arrangements, preserving strong joint employer protections is essential to ensuring meaningful enforcement of labor laws and access to justice.

Earlier this quarter, CRLA Foundation joined other legal aid and immigrant rights organizations urging Congress to fully fund the U.S. Department of Labor - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) in the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations bill to address the WHD’s decline in staffing levels over the last three years. Organizations urged funding sufficient to hire an additional 389 full-time employees in order to fulfill its mission of combating wage theft, labor trafficking, illegal child labor, and the exploitation of workers.

Finally, CRLA Foundation celebrates the passage of the Farmworker Wage Theft Reform Act (AB 2227 - Connolly), co-sponsored by the CRLA Foundation and the California Farmworker Coalition, through the California Senate Labor Committee on a vote of 4-1! Now it heads to the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

Sacramento is one of the few full time legislatures in the Country that runs from January to September. Following the seven-month whirlwind of committee and budget hearings, legislators will recess in July, and will return in August for a marathon session that will culminate in at least 900 bills that will be sent to the Governor for either a signature or veto by the constitutional deadline of August 31. 

Celebrating 45 years of Advocacy, Education, and Impact Litigation

This year also marks an extraordinary milestone for our organization. In 2026, CRLA Foundation celebrated 45 years of advancing justice through advocacy, education, and impact litigation. We are deeply grateful to the visionary founders who established the Foundation in response to devastating restrictions placed on federally funded legal services organizations. Their foresight created a lasting strategy to ensure that critical advocacy, policy work, and systemic litigation could continue on behalf of California's rural communities, farmworkers, immigrants, and other underserved populations. Forty-five years later, their vision continues to shape our work and inspire our commitment to justice.

We invite you to join us on September 25, 2026, as we celebrate this milestone at our 45th Anniversary Annual Gala. Together, we will honor the partners, advocates, community leaders, and supporters whose collaboration has made our work possible, while recognizing the clients and communities whose courage continues to inspire us every day. Whether you attend, sponsor the event, or make a charitable contribution, your support strengthens our ability to protect fundamental rights and expand access to justice for generations to come.

To our donors, supporters, clients, and partners: thank you for standing with us. Your partnership makes this work possible. Together, we continue building a nation that is more just, more equitable, and more faithful to the ideals we celebrate each Independence Day.

From all of us at California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, we wish you a safe and meaningful Fourth of July.