Sur is an immigrant & worker rights non-profit organization based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sur uses advocacy, education, and litigation to build the power of grassroots groups working to end:
◎ Labor abuses against workers
◎ ICE detention and deportations
◎ The prison industrial complex and the police state
We seek to democratize legal knowledge and provide legal support to movements fighting for economic, racial, and social justice in the South.
► Labor Rights
► Immigrant Rights Program
► Mass Decarceration Program
Why does Sur focus on immigration and employment legal strategies?
Immigrants are among the most vulnerable workers in the country, often working in hazardous industries and being frequent targets of immoral employers. Though imperfect, labor laws provide recourse and can empower immigrant and low-income workers. Immigrants are further oppressed by an immigration system that creates a culture of fear and violence through ICE enforcement, detention, and deportation.
Sur’s attorneys are experts in immigration and labor law. As Sur grows, we hope to serve as a resource in additional legal areas in which our team has expertise including family law, school discipline, public benefits, language access, removal defense, and criminal justice. The ultimate goal of all of Sur’s work is systemic change led by the communities we serve.
Rapid Response for Gainesville Poultry Workers
In January 2021, Sur joined a rapid response effort after a toxic nitrogen leak killed 6 poultry workers and injured several more at Foundation Food Group in Gainesville, Georgia, the so-called "poultry capital of the world." Poultry workers in Georgia are predominantly immigrants and face some of harshest immigration laws and most unsafe workplace conditions in the country. Sur's rapid response work has included providing a relevant KYR presentation on the day of the nitrogen leak, which received over 9,000 views; co-hosting a clinic four days after the leak to screen the workers for labor violations; representing several of the workers through the OSHA investigation process including filing OSHA complaints on behalf of a group of workers; creating KYR infographics for workers about their rights and sending them to workers; co-hosting an immigration clinic; and advocating for and shepherding the process of applying for Deferred Action, which provides a temporary immigration status--a critical protection--for undocumented workers involved in labor disputes.
