John I. Bauknecht

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John I. Bauknecht traces his interest in helping migrant workers and immigrants to his childhood, as he watched the migrant farmers work the potato fields near Antigo. That’s when he became aware of the challenges they faced with poor working, housing and health conditions, compounded by a lack of legal protection.

“Later on, when I had the chance to work with UMOS [United Migrant Opportunity Services], I wanted to use my law degree to improve those living and working conditions,” Bauknecht said.

For three decades, he has helped migrant workers through his efforts at Milwaukee-based UMOS. In addition to his 27 years there as an attorney, he spent three years doing social work for the organization prior to law school.

Since 1965, UMOS has been working to improve labor, education and living conditions for Hispanic migrant workers. The organization started in Wisconsin and has expanded its efforts to include workers in Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Texas. Among other things, it operates job centers, provides low-income housing and runs day care facilities.

Bauknecht, whose grandparents immigrated to the United States from Europe, said he has always felt strongly about the contributions immigrants historically made to our country. Those feelings extend to modern migrant workers.

“The migrants and immigrants coming in now are contributing very strongly to our country and our economy,” Bauknecht said. “I feel they deserve all the protection and rights that everyone else does.”

In addition to providing legal guidance to UMOS, Bauknecht was a driving force in developing the organization’s housing department. He has worked with state and federal agencies to secure funds to build housing for migrant workers, including four facilities in Wisconsin and one in Minnesota. He also has used his lobbying skills to promote civil rights for immigrants.

Bauknecht’s efforts extend to pro bono legal representation of some UMOS clients facing a variety of legal challenges, such as immigration status, wage claims, safe working conditions, housing and human trafficking — where individuals were brought from other countries under false pretenses.

One of the most memorable cases he handled pro bono involved a family of four, including two children who were United States citizens and a mother who was a permanent resident, Bauknecht recalled. The family was separated from the father, who was undocumented, when he was removed from the country and remained gone for more than a year. During that time, he said, the family faced many emotional and financial issues. Eventually, the attorney said he was able to facilitate the father’s legal return to the country.