Gutierrez wrong; Postville has nothing to do with politics


Issue date: 7/30/08 Section:
A rally in Postville on Sunday marked a recent culmination in the debate between immigration reform and immigration enforcement. The debate revolves around the May 12 raid on the Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant that resulted in the arrest of 389 illegals, the largest single-site bust in our nation's history. Three members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, led by Rep. Luis Gutierrez, met with community leaders and affected families on July 26, and they will report their findings to Congress in the days to come.

What they found was shocking and disturbing, and it calls for someone to be held responsible.

Some believe that the imprisonment and deportation of the illegal aliens is overly harsh. Immigrants came here seeking work and hoping to manifest their visions of the American dream. However, those who have made this voyage must realize that it comes at a cost. Incoming immigrants must obey the law and provide the necessary paperwork. Of the 389 arrested, more than 300 have pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to fraud, identity theft, and the falsifying of official documents. After five months in jail, the immigrants will be deported.

Gutierrez would have us believe the Bush administration, in a final effort to appease its conservative base, orchestrated the raid and that it is imposing excessively cruel punishment because of its staunch anti-immigration policies. In reality, the White House does not make raids or arrests. This is not an issue of politics or partisan ideals. It is an issue of legality, and people must pay the penalties when they break the law.

Yet holding illegal workers responsible is a relatively minor fraction of the issue. For years, the Agriprocessors executives have taken advantage of immigrants who are willing to do very harsh work for very little pay. The managers, supervisors, and rabbis who overlook production at the Postville plant need to be held accountable for perpetuating and cultivating this situation.


As of now, only three Agriprocessors officials have been indicted; two are under arrest and the other is on the run. Juan Carlos Guerrero-Espinoza and Martin De La Rose-Loera face charges for encouraging undocumented workers to forge their papers. They also helped workers fraudulently register for cars and homes. It would, however, be faulty to believe that these three alone are solely responsible for the situation.

According to a report by the New York Times on Sunday, Agriprocessors in Postville has a history rich with instances of child labor, slave labor, and sexual harassment. Sonia Parras Konrad, a lawyer in private practice, has identified 27 workers who are under the age of 18, which is the requirement for working on the floor of a meatpacking plant. Some workers were even as young as 13 years old. Most minors are forced to work longer than 12-hour shifts, sometimes even through the night. Konrad referred to one 16-year-old who worked 17-hour shifts for six days a week. When working around a razor-edged knife, the minor cut his elbow and needed eight stitches. His supervisor ordered him back to work the next day; when the wound reopened, he was provided a bandage and sent back out on the floor.

In a broad sense, the term kosher has come to mean legitimate, acceptable, permissible, pure, and even holy. When kosher standards are abided by, animals are slaughtered in a ritualistic sacrifice; the jugular, esophagus, and trachea are sliced swiftly, sparing the beast of any unnecessary pain. Ironically, the supervisors ensuring that work is performed in a kosher manner have completely disregarded the pain most workers have endured. Surely professional conduct and worker treatment must be outlined in Jewish law. Shouldn't work standards also be kosher? There is nothing legitimate, acceptable, or permissible happening in Postville. The plant has contorted into an impure, hellish facility. Before the immigration debate gets uglier, Agriprocessors officials need to be held responsible for their actions just as their employees were.

When a flawed immigration system is manipulated by a company, it is the place for immigration authorities to correct the situation. It is not the place for politicians to skew interpretations and place blame on opponents. This is a matter of law, and the law needs to be upheld and enforced. The Bush administration has its faults, but blaming the Postville raid on anyone, let alone the president, is simply wrong. Enforcing the law is not something to be blamed on anyone.