Attorney tried deporting dairy worker during lawsuit; worker wins settlement

SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Jose Arias's legal battle with his former employer has finally drawn to a close.

It began more than a decade ago, in 2006, when the worker sued Angelo Dairy in Acampo for unpaid wages.

"I was working ten to 14 hours daily without any breaks or lunch periods," Arias said.

Ten weeks before trial, Arias says the dairy's attorney, Anthony Raimondo, decided to call immigration.

"When I found out that someone had called ICE, I felt bad, and when I gave the notice to my wife, she felt bad," Arias said.

Christopher Ho is Arias's attorney. He says Raimondo tried to deport him by revealing the location of a deposition he needed to attend.

They filed a lawsuit over what they saw as retaliation.

"This is behavior that no attorney should be involved in, to use the legal process for his own strategic ends," Ho said.

On Monday, the two sides reached a million dollar settlement.

It comes after the Court of Appeals agreed that a company's attorney can be held liable for retaliation, even though he's not the employer.

"I hope this decision and this outcome gives people courage, to know that they don't necessarily have to put up with this retaliation," the attorney said.

Arias says while he was mistreated, the American justice system has vindicated him.