Madrid, NY, Mar 01, 2010 — An autopsy shows a Mexican farmworker on a St. Lawrence County dairy farm died of smoke inhalation. The man was found in the bedroom of a mobile home destroyed by fire. A frying pan left unattended on a stove sparked the blaze. According to the Watertown Daily Times, authorities still haven't identified the man or found his family in Mexico. Three other Mexican nationals escaped the fire. David Sommerstein reports.  Go to full article

May 16, 2006 — In the North Country, two groups are watching the immigration debate closely: dairy farmers and the Mexicans and Central Americans who work for them. There are no numbers on exactly how many Hispanics work on dairy farms in northern New York. One estimate says 300 work in Jefferson County alone. Based on national estimates, three-quarters of them entered the United States illegally. In the first of a two part series, David Sommerstein reports on the farmhands themselves. They live largely invisible lives, inextricably linked to the farmer who hired them.  Go to full article