News from rural America.

Opponents of a proposed Alaskan mine warn proponents they can't eat gold when the fish are gone. Ahead of what could be mass deportations, immigrants get training about their rights. And a national coalition grants money to keep local news afloat. 

TRANSCRIPT

For the Daily Yonder and Public News Service, this is the news from rural America.

Migrant workers help keep grocery shelves stocked and local economies afloat.

That's part of why advocates are sounding the alarm about possible mass deportations under the Trump administration.

Elizabeth Walley with the Food Chain Workers Alliance says a consistent problem for immigrants is having their status used to control them.

Whether you are undocumented or if you are like an H-2A visa temporary worker, that's really an ongoing theme that's obviously gonna be ramped up.

The Department of Agriculture estimates four in 10 farm workers are not authorized to work in the US.

Walley says a threat of large scale crackdowns has fueled anxiety and is leading advocacy groups to train workers about their rights.

Which could be anything about how to deal with ICE, how to deal with your employer, how to prepare for being caught up in the immigration system.

The National Press Forward Coalition is helping fund local news, including an online outlet in rural Colorado.

Alana Newman has more.

Chris Lopez started the Alamosa Citizen three years ago as an alternative to the one biweekly newspaper serving Colorado's rural San Luis Valley.

But we felt that there was an opportunity in the market for something more regular, more robust, and told a different type of story.

The Alamosa Citizen received $100,000 over two years from the first round of Press Forward funding in 2024.

Lopez says that'll provide security for the next two years of operation.

Any investment that's coming in to help support rural operations, that's really good because these small markets, you have to figure out how you're paying for your work.

Last year, Press Forward funded 205 local publications.

I'm Alana Newman.

Alaska natives are in court fighting for one of the largest American river systems and the food and livelihoods of those who rely on it.

Ananaha Sophie Swope leads the Mother Kuskokwim Tribal Coalition, which opposes plans for the giant Donlan Gold Mine next to the Kuskokwim River.

Which is the largest proposed pure gold mine on this planet.

While the project could provide much needed revenue, she says it also threatens the health and economic future of the Yupik and other indigenous communities because salmon is the cornerstone of their traditional diet.

It's a salmon spawning tributary that's really vital for our way of life.

Last year, a judge ruled the mine's environmental impact statement broke federal law.

Swope says the tribes want the judge to throw out the permit entirely and force owners to start again, this time with more input from the people who've stewarded the land for generations.

We're doing it for the future.

It's not for us, it's selfless work.

For the Daily Yonder and Public News Service, I'm Roz Brown.

For more rural stories, visit dailyyonder.com.