Thread: Update: Hundreds of arrests predicted at Iowa ICE raid

Immigration Raid: Officials had Inside Source
By Josh Hinkle, Anchor/Reporter
By Becky Ogann

Story Created: May 12, 2008

Story Updated: May 12, 2008

WATERLOO - The move to place judges at the Agriprocessors detention site is unprecedented in Iowa. The number of arrests and anticipated prosecutions is just too large for the courthouses in both Cedar Rapids and Sioux City to handle. That kind of move really shows the impact of this investigation.
There are more than 300 arrests so far all because of a 60-page search warrant. Jumping right in, TV9 learned about a former supervisor who gave agents a fair share of dirt. This anonymous person says the plant's human resources manager was hiring numerous illegal workers from Mexico, Guatemala and Eastern Europe. This person estimates that 80 percent of the workers under his or her guidance were illegal.

The supervisor also alleges finding a meth lab in the plant, even workers carrying weapons. All of this, not to mention several workers having the same Social Security number.

Those detained Monday morning probably didn't know that several former and current co-workers were a big part of this search warrant. Read through it, you’ll find one of these workers -- listed only as Source #7 -- keeps popping up. Immigration agents wired this person with an electronic audio monitoring device as he or she applied for work at the meat processing plant.

Source #7's audio revealed a human resources employee saying it was okay to work there without a social security number. Others told Source #7 how you could work there without papers completely and just receive cash. A supervisor at the plant even told Source #7 to fix his or her Social Security number to be able to work. Source #7 eventually got a job at Agriprocessors hanging cattle.
What Source #7, along with other sources named in the affidavit, found was enough for agents to suspect Social Security fraud, ID theft and illegal workers at the plant. Click on the related content links above left to read the entire affidavit.

Email Josh Hinkle at Josh.Hinkle@kcrg.com

http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/18875764.html

Links to 3 part Affidavit for search warrant

http://images.bimedia.net/documents/Aff ... Part+1.pdf

http://images.bimedia.net/documents/Aff ... Part+2.pdf

http://images.bimedia.net/documents/Aff ... Part+3.pdf

Ohhhhhh these folks are SOOOOO busted!

If they are not prosecuted under RICO, found guilty and sentenced to the maximum allowable, something would be very wrong!

Sounds like a prosecuter's dream come true

At the source MyAmerica posted above 'Update: Detainees arrive at Waterloo' has 660 comments so far.

May 12, 2008

ICE and DOJ joint enforcement action at Iowa meatpacking plant


CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents executed a criminal search warrant this morning at Agriprocessors, Inc., in Postville, Iowa, for evidence relating to aggravated identity theft, fraudulent use of Social Security numbers and other crimes, as well as a civil search warrant for people illegally in the United States. The announcement was made by United States Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa Matt M. Dummermuth and ICE Special Agent in Charge Claude Arnold.

"This is not the first time this office has been a part of a criminal worksite enforcement operation," said Dummermuth. "However, this is the largest operation of its type ever in Iowa. Agents and officers from federal, state, and local agencies are involved today. The coordination and logistical planning efforts have been going on for months."

"ICE is committed to enforcing the nation's immigration laws in the workplace to maintain the integrity of the immigration system," said Claude Arnold, Special Agent in Charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Bloomington, Minnesota. "We carry out that obligation in a fair and responsible manner, ensuring humanitarian needs are taken into consideration.

Anyone encountered during this operation who is discovered to be in the United States illegally eventually will be placed into administrative removal proceedings. So far, ICE agents have arrested more than 300 individuals for administrative immigration violations.

All of those taken into custody during today's operation will be interviewed by ICE agents and Public Health Service officers to determine if they have health, caregiver, or other humanitarian concerns. As a result of those interviews, over 40 individuals have so far been released on humanitarian grounds under supervision, pending future immigration proceedings.

ICE has established a toll-free number that family members can call to obtain information about the custody status and detention location of those detained today. That number is 866-341-3858.
Contacts were made this morning to alert local schools, government officials and the Iowa Department of Human Services about the operation.

The men apprehended today initially will be held in housing established for their detention at Estel Hall, in Waterloo, Iowa; women initially will be held at local county jails.

The investigation is being led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Other agencies assisting today include the United States Marshals Service; United States Postal Inspections Service; Iowa Department of Public Safety; Iowa Department of Transportation; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Federal Protective Service; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; United States Department of Labor; Public Health Service; United States Department of Agriculture; United States Environmental Protection Agency; Iowa Department of Natural Resources; Drug Enforcement Administration; Waterloo Police Department; and the Postville Police Department.



-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.



Last Modified: Monday, May 12, 2008

http://www.ice.gov/pi/news/newsreleases ... rapids.htm

Article published: May 13, 2008
Search warrants detail reasons for Postville raid

Here are snippets from the introduction to the search warrant served on the Agriprocessors Inc., meatpacking plant in Postville on Monday:

"Over at least the last two years, (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) has received information concerning immigration offenses at and by employees of Agriprocessors, including allegations of harboring illegal aliens... engaging in a pattern or practice of hiring and continuing to employ undocumented aliens... document fraud... misuse of Social Security numbers... and aggravated identity theft. This affidavit sets forth some, but not all, of the information ICE and other law enforcement officers possess concerning potential violations of the above-referenced statutes and potentially other criminal laws, but rather, is a summary of evidence in ICE's possession sufficient to establish probable cause to support this search warrant.

"This criminal search warrant is sought simultaneously... in connection with the issuance of 697 criminal complaints and arrest warrants against persons believed to be current employees of Agriprocessors... Of the approximately 697 charged by complaint, the government currently possesses copies of photo identification for only about 15 individuals.

"There is reason to believe there will be other employees present at Agriprocessors facility whose lawful authority to reside and work in the United States is unknown. Accordingly, in conjunction with the execution of this criminal search warrant, ICE intends to question any alien or person found on the Agriprocessors property believed to be an alien as to his or her right to be or remain in the United States, for purposes of determining whether the alien should be administratively processed for removal.

The following is an abbreviated version of the testimony of 15 former and current employees of the facility included in the search warrant. The sources identities have been withheld in the search warrant:

— Source #1 was a supervisor at the plant between 2005 and 2006. That person supervised citizens of Mexico, Guatemala and Eastern Europe, and estimated that 80 percent of these employees were illegally present in the United States. There was an incident at Agriprocessors where Source #1 discovered active methamphetamine production in the plant. The source partially destroyed the lab, which led to a physical confrontation with the source's immediate supervisor. Source #1 said he or she believes the incident led to their termination. There were also incidents of weapons being carried in Agriprocessors. Source #1 described a conversation with the Agriprocessors Human Resources Manager concerning three Social Security cards from three employees that all contained the same Social Security number, and that the Human Resources Manager laughed when it was brought to her attention. The source also described another conversation with the Human Resources Manager regarding Agriprocessors' employees' taxes and the fact that they were deducted and deposited in bank accounts belonging to an unknown person or people.

— Sources #2, #3 and #4 were arrested after an Aug. 30, 2007, altercation in Postville. All said they were foreign nationals illegally present in the United States, and that they were former Agriprocessors employees. They said they presented fraudulent Social Security cards and Permanent Resident Alien cards to gain employment there. Some of their Employment Eligibility Verification Forms were not properly certified.

— Source #6 was remanded to ICE custody from the Fayette County Sheriff's Office after he or she was arrested for drunken driving. The source said he or she was employed as an undocumented worker on one of Agriprocessors' farms between 2004 and 2006. A fraudulent Social Security card and Permanent Resident Alien card were presented to gain employment there.

— Source #7, a legal Hispanic immigrant, was paid by ICE to look for a job at the plant early this year while pretending to be an illegal immigrant. All of the source's conversations with human resources staff, supervisors and other employees were recorded during the employment process. The first time the source was told that the Social Security number ICE provided for him or her to use did not match his or her name. The next week, the source was provided a different Social Security number to use with the same name and was hired. Source #7 discovered other employees were being paid in cash or with different colored checks than the ones he or she received, possibly by an elementary school worker in Postville identified as the point of contact on letters to Agriprocessors employees noting "misunderstandings" with the employees' Social Security numbers. The source's rent also kept being increased by his or her landlord, and was told by other Hispanics that happened to other workers, as well.

In February, Source #7 told ICE agents he or she observed a Jewish floor supervisor duct-tape the eyes of an undocumented Guatemalan worker shut and hit the Guatemalan with a meat hook, apparently not causing serious injuries. The Guatemalan did not want to report the incident because "it would not do any good and could jeopardize his job." The company fired illegal immigrants on occasion with no explanation.

— On May 4, 2006, sources #8, #9 and #10 were arrested in connection with an investigation of the production of a potential explosive device found in a vehicle registered to a resident of Postville. The materials likely came from the Agriprocessors mechanical shop. Two sources had obtained employment there with fraudulent documents they had purchased, and all were illegal immigrants.

— An Iowa Department of Transportation investigator learned from talking with Des Moines County Treasurer's Office personnel that Source #14 was involved in making applications to title and register cars on behalf of people living in Postville. The source said that, more than 200 times, he or she received application information and money and had the registrations and titles sent to various Burlington/West Burlington addresses. Source #14 then arranged to pick up the documents and sent them to the vehicle owners in Postville.

Other facts found in the search warrant:

— Agriprocessors was notified of more than 1,000 discrepancies between names and Social Security numbers on workers' W-2 forms sent to the IRS between 2002 and 2005.

— In 2005, the Iowa DOT audited a Cedar Rapids car dealership that was selling a number of vehicles to an Agriprocessors supervisor. The manager of the unnamed dealership said the supervisor was a "personal friend of theirs," and that they supplied a large volume of cars to the supervisor for resale to people in the Postville area. That year, more than 50 vehicles were sold in that manner. Sales to Postville residents appeared to represent about 90 percent of the dealership's business. The sales violated Iowa law, which requires all dealers to be licensed.

Employees said that supervisor coerced them and others into to buy vehicles from him or they would be fired or not promoted.

www.gazetteonline.com

ICE - Now come east just one more state - Please! We need you bad!

Immigration raid in Iowa largest ever in US
May 13th, 2008 @ 12:11pm

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - Federal officials say a raid at a northeastern Iowa meat processing plant this week was the largest in U.S. history.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say 390 people have been arrested on immigration charges after Monday's raid at Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville. The facility is the world's largest kosher meatpacking plant.

The raid was aimed at seeking evidence of identity theft, stolen Social Security numbers and people who are in the country illegally.

Fifty-six of those arrested have been released on humanitarian grounds; many of them have to take care of children.

Others arrested in the raid at are being held in county jails and at a converted fairgrounds .


http://www.ktar.com/?nid=45&sid=754317

Update on juveniles
Posted 5/13/2008 1:28 PM CDT on Des Moines Register

[b]The 12 juveniles arrested were all plant employees, Arnold said. Federal customs agents today were still seeking “responsible adultsâ€

Since ICE returned her to Postville, they should be able to determine who she is and the fact she lied about her country of origin with this article.

Worker describes scene at plant
By NIGEL DUARA • nduara@dmreg.com • May 13, 2008

Postville, Ia – Tension pervaded St. Bridget’s Catholic Church on Tuesday, where about 400 people waited and watched for the next sign that their lives would again be lifted and tossed one day after the largest workplace raid in U.S. history.

Many believe U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are still in town.

One detainee agreed to speak to the Des Moines Register, but declined to be identified because of fear of recrimination by ICE.


She will face charges of being in the country illegally and having false identification. She will likely be deported, but was returned to Postville from a holding area in Waterloo for medical reasons.

On Tuesday, she cast occasional glances at passing cars on the street as she spoke. A grey Jeep that had driven past twice before caught her attention.

Three weeks ago, the woman said she was taken to a second-floor office in Agriprocessor and told by a supervisor to “change her papersâ€