Thread: Hispanic caucus to be in Postville Saturday

Hispanic caucus to be in Postville Saturday
By James Q. Lynch

The Gazette
james.lynch@gazettecommunications.com

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will visit Postville on Saturday to talk to residents about the impact of the May 12 Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid of Agriprocessors meatpacking plant.

The caucus will be meeting with community members at from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Bridget's Church, 135 W. Williams St.

Caucus members plan to talk to former and current plant workers, their families and other community members about the raid in the northeast Iowa community.

Fourth District U.S. Rep. Tom Latham, whose district includes the plant, won't be a part of the tour, but has met with Hispanic caucus member Rep. Luis Gutierrez to give him a "primer" on the community — the history, the diversity, how it's changed, according to staff member James Carstensen.

"He definitely wants to follow up with them," Carstensen added. "Anytime a congressman from outside the state takes an interest in Iowa, it's beneficial."

For Gutierrez, a Chicago Democrat, the raid signaled an unwelcome shift in immigration policy.

"An immigration system that is predicated on fear tactics and piecemeal, deportation-only policies profoundly worsens our immigration crisis by creating broken homes and tearing the fabric of our society," Gutierrez said.

He called the raid "pandering" to "anti-immigrant extremists and conservative pundits." However, the policy "truly failed nearly 400 hardworking families, who are now left with an impossible daily struggle to feed their children, many of whom are U.S. citizens," Gutierrez said.

He's also concerned about the "proportional imbalance" of the raid, according to a spokeswoman, because Agriprocessors, which has been accused of wage and hour violations, child labor and physical and sexual abuse, so far, has faced no charges.

The visit is about listening, not giving speeches, a spokeswoman for Gutierrez said.

While there, caucus members plan to meet with a 13-year-old U.S. citizen whose parent was detained in the raid, and two women who have been released with electronic homing devices. They plan to talk to members of the local relief team, including the mayor, school principal, and religious leaders, to examine the impact of the raid on the broader community.

They also want to review how much of the legal process packing plant workers understood and the ongoing labor investigation at Agriprocessors.

On Sunday, activists from across the country will gather in Postville for an interfaith service, march and rally calling for comprehensive immigration reform, family unification and just labor practices from 1 to 4 p.m.
http://www.gazetteonline.com/apps/pbcs. ... /1006/news

Ahhh the circus comes to town.

Where is all this money coming from, that all these poor 3rd world activists are able to attend this protest?

I would love to be there to protest against these losers, But can't afford it, I have to pay taxes to support these idiots.

It's called law enforcement idiot, get over it, these people were breaking the law! they can not lawfully work in the United States, just what don't you get about that!

Here come the buses.

~~~

Postville Prepares For Immigration Rally
Catholic Church Organizes Rally In Protest To Federal Raid

POSTED: 10:52 pm CDT July 25, 2008
UPDATED: 10:55 pm CDT July 25, 2008


DES MOINES, Iowa -- More than 1,000 people are expected to rally in northeast Iowa over the weekend to protest the Postville immigration raids.

In May, federal immigration officials raided the Agriprocessors plant and arrested nearly 400 illegal immigrants. Agriprocessors is the nation's largest kosher meatpacking plant.

Busloads of people from the Twin Cities, Chicago and elsewhere are expected to hit the town on Sunday afternoon. Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus are also expected to visit the city on Saturday for a separate event.

"I think there should be 50 of us altogether," said Maria Downs, of Des Moines, and fellow church members who are headed to Postville. "I hope the powers that be are listening in the faith community and the government."

The Sunday afternoon rally, organized by the Catholic Church, is intended to call attention to the way immigration officials carried out the raid.

"I think it was horrific," Downs said. "I think it was unjust. I think it's unfair."

Many of those arrested remain in custody or have already been deported.

"There's a lot of heartache for these children who are stuck in limbo, and for the wives," Downs said.

Downs said she's doing this for them and her own family.

"I'm a second-generation Mexican-American and I grew up in the community, and it saddens me things have changed in Iowa because it has always been a welcoming state," she said.

She said immigration reform is the only way things will get better.

The rally is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, starting with a church service, a rally and a march through town.

Postville has about 2,200 residents.

http://www.kcci.com/news/16995761/detai ... s&psp=news