Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Inc.

What Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Inc. does

Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Inc., operating as Migrant Legal Aid, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal services organization founded in 1973 and headquartered at 1104 Fuller Avenue NE in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The organization provides free, bilingual legal representation and advocacy to migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFW) in Michigan, a population of more than 94,000 workers and family members statewide. In 2021 the organization rebranded from Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project to Migrant Legal Aid to broaden its public identity.

Its service portfolio is organized into nine integrated programs: core Legal Services (covering wage theft, safe housing, transportation, child labor, labor contracts, human trafficking, job site conditions, and job protection); MOVE (Migrants Overcoming Violent Environments) for trafficking and violence victims; the Fair Food Project, a corporate-supply-chain accountability program partnering with retailers such as Meijer and SpartanNash; Defending Against Hate, a hate-crime prevention program; a Domestic Violence Program founded in 2008; a Pesticide Exposure Program enforcing Worker Protection Standards; Class Action Litigation; a Mobile Outreach Program conducting weekly visits to 1,000+ migrant labor housing sites; and Community Education. Service delivery combines direct legal representation in state, federal, and administrative courts with in-person consultations, telephonic/WhatsApp intake, and field outreach, supplemented by pro bono co-counsel partnerships (notably Boies Schiller Flexner LLP in 2025) and a referral network that includes the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, Farmworker Legal Services, Latin Americans United for Progress, Legal Aid of Western Michigan, and the Hispanic American Council.

The business model is a donation- and grant-funded nonprofit: services are provided free of charge to eligible clients, with revenue derived from charitable contributions, foundation grants, and two signature fundraising events (the Cup of Justice golf outing and the Harvest of Justice luncheon, the latter drawing 120 attendees in 2025). The organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors and operates with a small professional staff. Quantified impact includes over $1 million recovered in compensation and penalties for farmworkers over the past decade, a $200,000 settlement in the 2018 Blue Star Farms class action on behalf of 330 workers, and successful prosecution outcomes in cases such as the Grant shooting matter resulting in a 53.5-month prison sentence for the shooter following testimony from 120 victim-witnesses.

Name

Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Inc.

Legal name

Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Inc.

Website

https://migrantlegalaid.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Migrant Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1973 in Grand Rapids, Michigan that provides free bilingual legal representation, advocacy, and outreach programs to more than 94,000 migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families across Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Legal Aid Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Immigration Law (BPAHAAAL), Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI)

Keywords

• Legal aid services
• Migrant farmworker advocacy
• Civil legal services
• Nonprofit legal services
• Farmworker rights

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Migrant Legal Aid provides free bilingual legal representation and advocacy for migrant and seasonal farmworkers in Michigan. The organization's core offering covers wage theft recovery, safe housing and transportation enforcement, child labor protection, labor contract disputes, human trafficking victim assistance (including T and U visas), domestic violence services, hate crime prevention, pesticide exposure education, and class action litigation. Services are delivered through attorneys, paralegals, and outreach workers via mobile visits to labor housing sites, office consultations, and remote channels.

Product overview

Migrant Legal Aid is a nonprofit legal services organization (not a technology company) offering a unified portfolio of legal aid programs for migrant and seasonal farmworkers. The core offering consists of direct legal representation and advocacy services organized into specialized programs: Legal Services (covering wage theft, housing, transportation, child labor, labor contracts, trafficking, and working conditions), MOVE (victim services for violence and trafficking), Fair Food Project (workplace standards monitoring), Defending Against Hate (hate crime prevention), Domestic Violence Program, Pesticide Exposure Program, and Class Action Litigation. Mobile outreach visits to labor housing sites support all programs with education and real-time condition monitoring. These programs operate as an integrated service delivery model rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Services Bilingual legal advice and representation for migrant and seasonal farmworkers covering wage theft, safe housing, transportation, child labor, labor contracts, human trafficking, job site conditions, and job protection. Provided free of charge to eligible clients.
• MOVE (Migrants Overcoming Violent Environments) Program assisting victims of human trafficking, labor trafficking, forced labor, and violence with wrap-around social and legal services, including T and U visa assistance.
• Fair Food Project Partnership program connecting food producers, retailers, and employers with Migrant Legal Aid to ensure equitable and humane treatment of farmworkers through active dispute resolution and whistleblower protections.
• Defending Against Hate Program Program connecting law enforcement, school systems, and migrants to reduce hate crimes through cultural competency training, crime reporting encouragement, and community education.
• Domestic Violence Program Services for migrant victims of domestic violence and workplace violence including personal protection orders, divorce, child custody, immigration assistance, and green card eligibility.
• Pesticide Exposure Program Education and advocacy program helping farmworkers understand pesticide exposure risks and enforce Worker Protection Standards, with connections to medical and financial resources.
• Class Action Litigation Collective and class action lawsuits on behalf of groups of migrant farmworkers for wage theft, minimum wage violations, and labor law enforcement.
• Mobile Outreach Program Weekly visits to migrant labor housing sites providing education, advocacy, and real-time monitoring of housing and working conditions across Michigan.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1,000 recovered in compensation and penalties for farmworkers over the last decade
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Boies Schiller Flexner LLPmajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBoies Schiller Flexner provided pro bono legal representation for five Guatemalan farmworkers in a labor trafficking case against Purpose Point Harvesting LLC. The case proceeded to trial in 2025, with the Washington D.C. office team taking the lead on the complex litigation.
• MeijercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMeijer participates in the Fair Food Project, partnering with Migrant Legal Aid to support equitable and humane treatment of farmworkers in the food supply chain. As a major retailer, Meijer provides market leverage for enforcing fair labor practices.
• SpartanNashcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSpartanNash is a Fair Food Project member, collaborating with Migrant Legal Aid to ensure ethical treatment of farmworkers and monitor compliance with labor laws throughout their supply chain operations in Michigan.
• Cellar Door Artisan PreservescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCellar Door Artisan Preserves participates in the Fair Food Project, demonstrating commitment to social justice and ethical treatment of farmworkers through partnership with Migrant Legal Aid.
• MCA EquityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMCA Equity is a Fair Food Project member supporting Migrant Legal Aid's mission to protect farmworker rights in Michigan's food system.
• Coalition of Immokalee WorkerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Michigan Fair Food Project is inspired by the Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Florida. This partnership provides the model and methodology for ethical treatment of farmworkers and retailer accountability.
• Hispanic Center of Western MichigancoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReferral partner for migrant and seasonal farmworkers. The Hispanic Center provides community services and directs individuals needing legal assistance to Migrant Legal Aid.
• Farmworker Legal ServicescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReferral partner providing legal services to farmworkers. Collaborates with Migrant Legal Aid on cases and shares client referrals for specialized representation.
• Legal Aid of Western MichiganminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReferral partner providing legal aid services. Shares referrals with Migrant Legal Aid for cases involving migrant and seasonal farmworkers.
• Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReferral partner serving the Hispanic/Latino community in Michigan. Directs farmworkers needing legal services to Migrant Legal Aid.
• Hispanic American CouncilminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerReferral partner for migrant and immigrant community members needing legal assistance.
• Susan G. Komen MichiganminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaborated with Migrant Legal Aid on a pilot program offering mobile mammograms to migrant women. Three events were held screening 23 women who would otherwise not have been screened.
• Cherry HealthminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHealthcare partner collaborating with Migrant Legal Aid on the mobile mammogram pilot program for migrant women in Michigan.
• Kent County Health DepartmentminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPublic health partner in the mobile mammogram pilot program, providing health screening services to migrant women in collaboration with Migrant Legal Aid.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Farm Worker Ministry: Faith-based organization supporting farmworker-led campaigns for justice. Comparable in farmworker rights advocacy and movement-building approach, though more focused on organizing and mobilization than direct legal representation.
• Farmworker Legal Services: Michigan-based legal aid organization serving migrant and seasonal farmworkers, listed as a referral partner. Directly comparable in target population, geographic focus, and service mix (wage theft, housing, labor contracts).
• Farmworker Justice: National advocacy and legal services organization for farmworker rights, focused on policy and litigation. Comparable in migrant farmworker legal services but operates at federal/national policy level rather than direct service.
• Texas RioGrande Legal Aid: Large regional legal aid organization serving low-income and migrant communities across Texas. Comparable in free legal services for migrant farmworkers on employment, housing, and family law matters.
• Legal Aid of Western Michigan: Regional legal aid organization covering western Michigan with overlapping service area and referral relationship. Comparable as a Michigan-based free legal services nonprofit for low-income residents, including migrant clients.
• California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation: California's largest farmworker legal services organization, providing free civil legal aid to rural and farmworker communities. Directly comparable in mission, services (wage theft, housing, labor conditions), and target population.
• Coalition of Immokalee Workers: Florida-based worker-led farmworker rights organization whose Fair Food Program model directly inspired Migrant Legal Aid's Michigan Fair Food Project. Both organizations combine worker-to-worker education, corporate accountability campaigns, and supply chain leverage to combat farmworker exploitation.
• Ayuda Legal de Michigan / Michigan Immigrant Rights Center: Michigan-based immigrant legal services and advocacy organization. Comparable in providing free legal services to immigrant communities in Michigan, including farmworkers, with overlapping geographic and population scope.
• Centro de los Derechos del Migrante: National migrant worker rights organization with operations in multiple states. Comparable in legal advocacy and education for migrant farmworkers, though broader geographic scope (East Coast and Mexico-source communities).

Others

• Hispanic Center of Western Michigan: Grand Rapids-based nonprofit providing social services, education, and community support to the Hispanic/Latino community. Functions as a referral partner serving overlapping populations but does not provide direct legal services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/migrantlegalmi
• Facebookfacebook.com/migrantlegalaid
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/migrant-legal-aid
• Instagraminstagram.com/migrantlegalaid

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Michigan Migrant Legal Assistance Project, Inc.