Feds Release Remaining Material Witnesses in Agriprocessors case
By KCRG Intern

Story Created: Jan 15, 2010 at 11:06 AM CST

Story Updated: Jan 15, 2010 at 11:08 AM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS - The remaining eight illegal immigrants designated as material witnesses in a Agriprocessors case were released of their testimonial obligations this week by a federal judge.

The eight were going to be witnesses for former Agriprocessors beef supervisor Brent Beebe, 52, of Postville, but he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit document fraud earlier this week and the trial was cancelled.

The illegal immigrants were not in federal custody, according to the judge’s order. The witnesses were provided with temporary employment authorizations to lawfully work in the area by the government and were released from electronic monitoring in February.

Immigration and Customs Enforcment officials previously said they don’t track illegal immigrants by criminal cases, so it’s unclear when the eight and the other 20 witnesses released from their obligations in November will be deported. If any appealed deportation, they could stay until they go through the immigration court process.

The criminal charges involving Agriprocessors stem from the May 2008 immigration raid at the Postville meatpacking plant.

Agri Star, a new meatpacking business, took over Agriprocessors after it filed bankruptcy.

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