Iowa Immigration Raids Meant to Sidetrack U.S. Voters, Activists Say

Edwin Okong'o, Mshale Editor

Published 05/16/2008 - 8:39 p.m. GMT


Kendrick Duay, 6, holds a sign at a pro-immigrant rally in Minneapolis. Photo: Dorcas Komo/Mshale. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Edwin Okong'o



Email:
editor@mshale.com


MINNEAPOLIS – The arrests on Monday of 390 undocumented immigrants at a meat packing plant in Postville, Iowa, was a tactic to distract the nation from the failures of the Bush administration, Minnesota immigrant activists said Friday.

The raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents was the largest to be carried out at a single location. On Thursday ICE reported that some of those arrested had been charged with criminal offenses including aggravated identity theft for falsifying documents to obtain employment.

Speaking at the intersection of E. Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue, where dozens gathered to rally in support of the Iowa immigrants, several community activists condemned the raid and called it an attack on workers.

“That raid was used to cover up what is going on in this country,â€