Thread: IOWA-Labor Department says it wasn't told about raid

Labor Department says it wasn't told about raid
By JANE NORMAN • jnorman@dmreg.com • July 18, 2008

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Washington, D.C. — A letter from the U.S. Department of Labor to Rep. Bruce Braley says the agency was not notified in advance about a raid on an Iowa meatpacking plant - in direct contradiction to a separate letter to Braley from immigration authorities stating that they "fully coordinated" with labor officials investigating the plant.

Braley, a Waterloo Democrat, released the two letters during a conference call with Iowa reporters Thursday afternoon. He called for a "full response" from the two agencies about what went on before and during the May 12 raid at Agriprocessors in Postville.


"I am concerned that the raid may have had an impact on the ability of the Department of Labor to conduct a thorough investigation of labor practices within Agriprocessors," Braley said.

The July 3 Department of Labor letter, from Kristine Iverson, assistant secretary for congressional and intergovernmental affairs, says that "the raid occurred without the prior knowledge or participation" of the Wage and Hour Division of the department.

Iverson confirmed in the letter that the division's Des Moines office had launched an investigation of the Agriprocessors plant earlier this year in connection with possible violations of federal labor law.

No advance notice of the raid was given to any portion of the department, the letter says. "In fact, after learning of the raid from news reports, WHD's district office intervened to ensure that workers received their last paychecks," she wrote.

She said that the department also found out after the raid that the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Labor - an oversight agency that is separate from the department - may have participated.

Iverson said that the work site enforcement action "changes the complexion" of the labor probe, but "it should not prevent WHD from completing its investigation."

A separate letter was sent to Braley from Jamie E. Zuieback, director of the Office of Congressional Relations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, on July 15.

In it, Zuieback states that ICE "fully coordinated its activities with other federal agencies, including the Department of Labor."

Zuieback adds that "DOL agents were present at the Agriprocessors facility during the execution of the search warrant and interviewed aliens during the operation as they deemed necessary."

A statement issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday night appeared to indicate that there may have been some confusion between the Department of Labor and the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Labor.

Tim Counts, a spokesman for ICE, said in a statement that during the Agriprocessors investigation, "we worked with the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General" and that that agency participated in the operation on May 12.

"We will continue to work with Rep. Braley and his staff to respond to questions and to provide information and clarification on this matter," said Counts. He said that his agency "conducts all investigations and enforcement actions in full accordance with policy and procedure."

The inspector general conducts audits and evaluations to review the effectiveness, efficiency, economy and integrity of all Labor Department programs and operations, according to its Web site.

A spokesman for the department echoed the contents of the letter sent to Braley and stressed that the agency's investigation is continuing.

More than 300 Agriprocessors workers were arrested on criminal and immigration charges in the work site enforcement action.

Violations of workplace and child labor regulations at the plant have been alleged by the government in its search warrant, and Iowa state officials earlier had cited the company for not complying with safety regulations for workers.

A union trying to organize the Postville plant, a national Hispanic advocacy group, and members of Congress have raised questions about whether the raid harmed the labor violation investigation. Braley wrote a series of letters beginning May 15 to the Department of Labor, ICE and the Department of Justice, asking for information on the labor investigation and about coordination among the agencies.

Braley has written back to Julie Myers, assistant secretary at ICE, pointing out her agency's contradiction with the Department of Labor letter.

He asked for the dates of any communication between immigration and labor officials before the raid and the content of it, including transcripts.

Agriprocessors has a "dismal" track record on workplace safety and compliance, Braley said. "While upholding immigration law is important, so is ensuring workplace safety," he wrote.



http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... /807180369

A union trying to organize the Postville plant, a national Hispanic advocacy group, and members of Congress have raised questions about whether the raid harmed the labor violation investigation. Braley wrote a series of letters beginning May 15 to the Department of Labor, ICE and the Department of Justice, asking for information on the labor investigation and about coordination among the agencies.

The raid uncovered hundreds of illegals working at that plant! You think there might have been labor violations! That should help your investigation!

The real issue here is the union is upset because this raid interfered with their plans to unionize and now they are crying to congress, in which unfortunately, some of our corrupt politicians are listening!