Thread: Town of 2,273 wonders: What happens to us now?

Town of 2,273 wonders: What happens to us now?
10% of Town Arrested in 12 Hours
GRANT SCHULTE, JENNIFER JACOBS and JARED STRONG

Postville, Iowa - The future of 390 workers, the meat-processing plant that employed them, and this northeast Iowa town’s economy remained in limbo Tuesday, one day after federal agents conducted what they’re now calling the largest raid of its kind in the nation’s history.

Twenty-nine Agriprocessors Inc. workers have been arrested on charges that include aggravated identity theft and the false use of Social Security numbers, federal officials said Tuesday.

Developing: A list of people detained in the raid

Ten of those detainees appeared before a judge for the first time Tuesday afternoon. Shackled at the waist and ankles, they shuffled single-file into a retro ballroom on the grounds of the National Cattle Congress in Waterloo. The men were given special earphones so they could hear the court proceedings being translated into Spanish.

The detainees were transported to Waterloo after Monday’s raid at the Agriprocessors Inc. plant in Postville.

Federal officials said the number of people detained now totals 390, nearly four times as many as the raid on the Swift plant in Marshalltown 18 months ago.

Those arrested Monday include 314 men and 76 women. Fifty-six detainees - mostly women with young children - have been released under the supervision of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Most were required to wear an electronic monitoring device around one ankle.

Officials with ICE and the U.S. attorney’s office in Cedar Rapids would not say whether others could face criminal charges.

Those not charged are being held under “administrative arrestâ€

The town’s largest landlord, GAL Investments, rents 130 apartments, duplexes and houses for about $450 to $800 per month. Almost all of the tenants are Guatemalan or Mexican immigrants who work at the plant

Hey ICE, I think you overlooked someone in your recent enforcement efforts in Postville.

Well, well, well. You know this domino affect wouldn't happen if you followed the law in the first place. No every greedy landlord, business, and Agriprocessors are going to pay the piper. Even if some are released, they will flee. I hope this sends a chill down the spine of other companies. I DO HOPE THAT AGRIPROCESSORS IS REALLY TAKEN TO THE MAT ON THIS. Let's get this going so that other companies, on their own, will use E-verify and legal visa systems and make sure that they go home when the visa expires. Otherwise, no tears here.

[quote]Some businesses are feeling the raid’s effect more than others. The town’s largest landlord, GAL Investments, rents 130 apartments, duplexes and houses for about $450 to $800 per month. Almost all of the tenants are Guatemalan or Mexican immigrants who work at the plant, said Theresa Fravel, the office manager.

She worried that even those who weren’t arrested will flee. “Some people have actually packed up and left town,â€

I just sent this but I think I went a little to easy on them.

I just finished reading the story about the raids in Postville and I am particularly struck by the comments made by Theresa Fravel.

[quote]“Some businesses are feeling the raid’s effect more than others. The town’s largest landlord, GAL Investments, rents 130 apartments, duplexes and houses for about $450 to $800 per month. Almost all of the tenants are Guatemalan or Mexican immigrants who work at the plant, said Theresa Fravel, the office manager.

She worried that even those who weren’t arrested will flee. “Some people have actually packed up and left town,â€

Nice work, Bulldogger.

Everyone has three meals a day catered by Hy-Vee plus an evening snack, and access to telephones, medical teams, showers, recreational activities, and a list of free legal services, Gonzalez said.

Why don't we just put them up at the local Holiday Inn, room service included of course?

Where's Sheriff Joe Arpaio when you need him?

Originally Posted by MW

Everyone has three meals a day catered by Hy-Vee plus an evening snack, and access to telephones, medical teams, showers, recreational activities, and a list of free legal services, Gonzalez said.

Why don't we just put them up at the local Holiday Inn, room service included of course?

Where's Sheriff Joe Arpaio when you need him?

Far better treatment than an American citizen would recive after arrested for a crime.

[quote]Agriprocessors, the nation’s largest kosher meat-processing plant, has employed 968 workers. Officials have said they believe as many as three-fourths of the workers were using fraudulent Social Security numbers.[/quote]

Ok, this is why E-Verify needs to be made MANDATORY for every business in this country that hires workers. This company either looked the other way or was dupped when presented with social security cards that appeared to be legitimate (even though the person submitting the document probably didn't speak a word of English).

Any business which was raided and was found to have been employing illegals, should be required by law to implement E-Verify into their business pratices if they want to continue to stay in business. It should be part of the penality for employing illegals, since they have demonstrated they are haing problems obeying the law in this regard.

NoBueno wrote:

Ok, this is why E-Verify needs to be made MANDATORY for every business in this country that hires employes. This company either looked the other way or was dupped when presented with social security cards that appeared to be legitimate (even though the person submitting the document probably didn't speak a word of English).

Any business which was raided and was found to have been employing illegals, should be required by law to implement E-Verify into their business pratices if they want to continue to stay in business. It should be part of the penality for employing illegals, since they have demonstrated they are haing problems obeying the law in this regard.

BINGO! That's why we must support the SAVE Act.