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Immigration

America’s Dairyland

Risking Workers’ Lives for the Milk We Drink

Dairy farms are some of the most dangerous job sites in America. Much of the labor is done by immigrants working on small farms that operate with little safety oversight.

Impact of Our Reporting
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America’s Dairyland

DOJ Reaches Agreement With Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office to Improve Services for People Who Don’t Speak English

Years after deputies in Dane County, Wisconsin, mistakenly blamed an immigrant worker for his son’s death on a dairy farm, the sheriff’s office has agreed to reforms meant to ensure that residents who speak limited English can get needed services.

by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel,

America’s Dairyland

The DOJ Is Working With a Wisconsin Sheriff to Improve How Deputies Communicate With People Who Don’t Speak English

A ProPublica investigation in Wisconsin’s Dane County revealed how a grammatical mistake in Spanish led sheriff’s deputies to wrongly blame a Nicaraguan dairy worker for his son’s death.

by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel,

America’s Dairyland

Officials Approve $8 Million for Housing for Immigrant Dairy Workers in Wisconsin

Dane County lawmakers cited ProPublica reporting for the moves to improve the lives of dairy workers in southern Wisconsin.

by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel,

America’s Dairyland

Officials Move to Address Problems Facing Immigrant Workers on Wisconsin Dairy Farms

A ProPublica investigation showed how language barriers contributed to authorities wrongly blaming a dairy farm worker for his son’s death. Lawmakers have responded.

by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel,

16 stories published since 2023

Melissa Sanchez Honored with NAHJ’s University of Florida Award in Investigative Journalism

by ProPublica,

What You Need to Know If You’re Hurt While Working on a Wisconsin Dairy Farm

by Maryam Jameel and Melissa Sanchez, Illustrations by Edel Rodriguez, special to ProPublica,

“America’s Dairyland” Wins Peter Lisagor Award

by ProPublica,

How a Fire on a Dairy Farm Led Us to More Than a Year’s Worth of Stories About Immigrant Dairy Workers

by Melissa Sanchez,

Immigrant Dairy Workers Often Endure Substandard Housing Conditions. The Law Doesn’t Protect Them.

by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel,

“America’s Dairyland” Named Finalist for Shadid Award for Journalism Ethics

by ProPublica,

When Immigrant Dairy Farm Workers Get Hurt, Most Can’t Rely on Workers’ Compensation

by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel,

“Once You’re No Good to Them, They Get Rid of You”

by Maryam Jameel and Melissa Sanchez,

OSHA Investigates Small Dairy Farms So Rarely That Many Worker Advocates Don’t Bother to Report Deaths and Injuries

by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel,

Dairy Workers on Wisconsin’s Small Farms Are Dying. Many of Those Deaths Are Never Investigated.

by Maryam Jameel and Melissa Sanchez,

Why Some Wisconsin Lawmakers and Local Officials Have Changed Their Minds About Letting Undocumented Immigrants Drive

by Melissa Sanchez,

Wisconsin’s Dairy Industry Relies on Undocumented Immigrants, but the State Won’t Let Them Legally Drive

by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel,

Following the Death of an 8-Year-Old on a Wisconsin Dairy Farm, Officials Look to Bridge Law Enforcement Language Gap

by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel,

How We Reached Workers While Reporting on Dairy Farm Conditions

by Charles Ornstein, ProPublica, Photography by Caleb Alvarado,

Help ProPublica Journalists Investigate the Dairy Industry

by Maryam Jameel and Melissa Sanchez,

Death on a Dairy Farm

by Melissa Sanchez and Maryam Jameel,

What We’re Watching

During Donald Trump’s second presidency, ProPublica will focus on the areas most in need of scrutiny. Here are some of the issues our reporters will be watching — and how to get in touch with them securely.

Learn more about our reporting team. We will continue to share our areas of interest as the news develops.

Photo of Sharon Lerner
Sharon Lerner

I cover health and the environment and the agencies that govern them, including the Environmental Protection Agency.

Photo of Andy Kroll
Andy Kroll

I cover justice and the rule of law, including the Justice Department, U.S. attorneys and the courts.

Photo of Melissa Sanchez
Melissa Sanchez

I report on immigration and labor, and I am based in Chicago.

Photo of Jesse Coburn
Jesse Coburn

I cover housing and transportation, including the companies working in those fields and the regulators overseeing them.

If you don’t have a specific tip or story in mind, we could still use your help. Sign up to be a member of our federal worker source network to stay in touch.

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