City of Vernon Final Report
Prepared by the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) Throughout the fall of 2025, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) carried out a series of outreach, education, and training activities in the City of Vernon to strengthen immigrant worker protections and ensure residents of the City of Vernon had access to critical workplace enforcement information. We engaged 18 different companies that do business in the City of Vernon and 60 residents, workers, and employers who live or do business in the City of Vernon through direct engagement at community events, distribution of bilingual materials, technical legal assistance and specialized workplace enforcement trainings designed to empower both workers and employers with knowledge of their rights and responsibilities.
Outreach: As part of our outreach strategy, CHIRLA mailed 143 workplace enforcement training flyers to the Vernon Chamber of Commerce on November 24, with 69 in Spanish and 74 in English. In collaboration with the City, we distributed flyers to increase attendance at upcoming trainings and ensure accessibility for the diverse workforce in Vernon. While an in-person visit to Vernon City Officials to drop off flyers was initially planned, flyers were instead sent directly to the Chamber of Commerce to maximize reach. In addition, CHIRLA participated in the City of Vernon’s Halloween event on October 29, 2025 where staff tabled and distributed informational flyers. CHIRLA’s Community Education Programs Manager, Winston Leiva, attended to provide Know Your Rights (KYR) materials, while our Director of Workers Rights and Labor Legal Services, Yunuen Trujillo, distributed 100 copies of CHIRLA’s workplace enforcement guide, which include information on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids versus I-9 audits, judicial versus administrative warrants, and California’s AB 450 protections. The guide also contained sample documents and workplace protocol information. During the event, CHIRLA staff answered live legal questions from eight individuals, offering support on workplace enforcement and immigration-related concerns.
Trainings: Workplace enforcement trainings were conducted consistently throughout the fall, with participation from both workers and employers who were residents of the City of Vernon, and those connected to the City of Vernon. As previously reported, during our September trainings, we trained 25 employers and workers from 17 unique companies located in Vernon, including Reynaldo's Mexican Food, Commercial Sand Blast, Incremento Inc., Kaiser Permanente, Bens General Store, Style Melody, Rancho Foods, Evonik, Punch Press Products, King Meat Service, Great American Packaging, Engineered Applications Inc., Karen Kane, Inc., American Printworks, The Mochi Ice Cream Co., and Current Wholesale Electric Supply. On October 2, 2025, CHIRLA hosted an English-language webinar attended by one worker employed in Vernon at Evonik Corporation. On October 16, 2025 CHIRLA held a Spanish-language webinar that included multiple participants: one employer doing business in Vernon at Saitex USA (6074 Malburg Way, Vernon, CA 90058); one employer doing business in Vernon at Crown Poly, (5701 S Boyle Ave, Vernon, CA 90058); and one worker employed at Crown Poly.
While November and December saw no registrations for trainings, CHIRLA responded proactively by mailing additional flyers to promote upcoming sessions and encourage participation, in addition to focusing on in-person outreach at the Halloween event and offering Attorney Q&A Hours where people could call for legal questions.
Following each training, CHIRLA’s Workers’ Rights and Labor Legal Services Legal Assistant sent a follow-up email to each participant. This email included a comprehensive packet of educational materials such as CHIRLA’s workplace enforcement guide, a re-verification guide, and a model workplace policy template. These resources provided detailed information on workplace enforcement issues, including ICE raids versus I-9 audits, judicial versus administrative warrants, and California’s AB 450 protections, along with sample documents and workplace protocol guidance. To ensure ongoing support beyond the trainings, CHIRLA offered individual consultations and provided direct contact information for the Director of Workers’ Rights and Labor Legal Services, enabling participants to seek tailored assistance for their specific workplace or immigration-related concerns.
Consultations: Consultations and technical assistance were also a key component of CHIRLA’s work in Vernon. On November 13, CHIRLA assisted a self-deported individual who had previously worked in Vernon and sought guidance on wage recovery and managing financial matters after leaving the U.S. That same day, CHIRLA provided consultations to two individuals: One individual had a family member in detention and another dealing with non-responsive immigration attorneys. On November 20, 2025 during Q&A hours, CHIRLA assisted two additional individuals: one exploring voluntary departure options without legal representation, and another seeking advice on how to better communicate with their attorney. In total, eight individuals have been served through CHIRLA’s weekly attorney Q&A hours, which provide a dedicated space for questions related to raids, workplace enforcement, and family members affected by immigration proceedings.
Looking ahead, CHIRLA is committed to continuing our crucial work for residents in the City of Vernon and to future partnership and collaboration to advance the protection of immigrant workers’ rights and expand access to workplace enforcement education and legal support.