December 17, 2025 · View in browser

A Utah surgeon’s victory in a vaccine fraud case has encouraged other “medical freedom” advocates to consider seeking leniency for similar charges. “This undermines every layer of the system that protects us from infectious disease,” an expert said.

In October, ProPublica South reporter Amy Yurkanin told the story of Jorge Ruiz, a Mexican immigrant who was charged with murder after a fatal car crash when he was 19. Ruiz received a sentence almost four times longer than anyone else involved in fatal crashes in that Alabama circuit court over the past two decades.

This incident, Yurkanin’s recent reporting shows, is only one among more than 100 court cases ProPublica reviewed that show immigrants in Alabama can face harsher punishments for the same crimes as citizens. In another incident, Yurkanin found an immigrant detainee who set fire to his mattress inside a jail cell received a sentence twice as long as a citizen who committed the same offense in the same facility three months later. Here’s what else you need to know:

Disparate Punishment: ProPublica’s review of Alabama incarceration data showed that some immigrants received unusually long sentences, even when they had fewer prior offenses than citizens.

Constitutional Protection: The Supreme Court has ruled that noncitizens accused of crimes are entitled to the same rights as citizens. That extends to equal rights in sentencing.

National Efforts: State and federal lawmakers have pushed for laws that would give undocumented immigrants longer sentences for crimes, raising constitutional concerns.

For months, ProPublica reporter Max Blau has been investigating the H-2A visa program, which allows U.S. agricultural employers to bring in temporary workers from other countries. He detailed the case of Sofi, a 24-year-old mother from Mexico, who ended up a victim after being sold the promises of an H-2A visa. He also talked to experts, lawyers and advocates about how to make the program safer. 

Blau’s recent story focuses on the Fair Food Program, which experts say could prevent abuse but remains underutilized. Here’s what you need to know:

Ending Exploitation: Experts say that the Fair Food Program has improved conditions for farmworkers — and, if widely adopted, could prevent exploitation and abuse in the fields.

Win-Win: Pacific Tomato Growers, the first farm to join the program 15 years ago, has seen long-term benefits both for its workers and its bottom line.

Ongoing Opposition: Despite the program’s proven potential, most farmers have resisted joining. Until more grocery and fast food chains sign on as buyers, experts say it could stay that way.

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