Postville, Ia. – Federal agents descended upon this northeast Iowa community at about 10 a.m. today to conduct an immigration raid at a meat-packing plant.

Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement entered Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville to execute a criminal search warrant for evidence relating to aggravated identity theft, fraudulent use of Social Security numbers and other crimes, said Tim Counts, a Midwest ICE spokesman.


Agents are also executing a civil search warrant for people illegally in the United States, he said.

Representatives of Iowa’s congressional offices said they have been told by federal officials that hundreds of arrests are expected.

A helicopter hovered over the scene, and a number of agents formed a perimeter around the Agriprocessors facility. Vehicles from ICE and at least eight cars and vans from the Iowa State Patrol were at the plant. There were also reports of two moving vans at the scene, along with an ambulance and two black Chevrolet Suburbans.

Counts declined to confirm where people who are arrested will be detained. Federal officials have leased the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo, but they declined to explain last week whether the property was being prepared for use as a detention center.

Counts said that each person being arrested would be questioned by ICE and by Public Health Service medical professionals to determine if they have humanitarian issues, including child care giver or medical issues.

“Those interviews will aid ICE in determining whether people will be detained or conditionally released on humanitarian grounds, pending their immigration court appearance,â€