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Lawmakers: Did Postville raid stymie labor probe?
By JANE NORMAN • jnorman@dmreg.com • May 28, 2008


Washington, D.C. — Leaders of a congressional committee are pressing the U.S. Department of Labor for answers on whether an ongoing investigation of child- labor and wage violations at a meatpacking plant in Postville, Ia., will be compromised by a May 12 immigration raid there.

Democratic leaders of the House Education and Labor Committee wrote to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao on May 16. They're asking for more information on the complaints that prompted the Agriprocessors Inc. investigation. They also want to know whether federal labor officials had any involvement with the raid, which was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.


The letter was signed by Rep. Lynn Woolsey, chairwoman of a subcommittee on work force protection, and Rep. George Miller, chairman of the full committee. Both are California Democrats.

Woolsey presided over a hearing May 20 on the impact of a string of recent work-site raids on child-ren and families. The head of the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic advocacy organization, raised similar questions at the hearing about a compromised labor investigation.

Labor Department officials had no immediate comment Tuesday on the congressional letter.

Woolsey and Miller said they want assurances that the threat of future raids will not deter workers from bringing complaints to the attention of federal investigators, including on matters that bear on the health and safety of children.

They said they want to be sure workers are not deported before interviews can be completed.

Hundreds of employees were detained in the raid at Postville, the largest single-site immigration enforcement action in U.S. history. No Agriprocessors owners or managers have been charged.

Woolsey and Miller, setting a deadline of Friday, told Chao they want to know:

• The status and scope of the labor investigation.

• Whether labor officials had advance notice of the raid.

• Whether there are any written policies on what happens when a raid occurs at a work site where there is an ongoing labor investigation.

• The extent of the department's cooperation with the Iowa Department of Labor or any other state or local agencies.






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