In wake of record raid, more information emerging about Iowa packing plant with many immigrants

Details from a May raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Postville, Iowa, continue to emerge as investigations continue. Henry C. Jackson writes for The Associated Press that the raid "scarred a small town and tore families apart." More than 20 of the 389 illegal immigrants rounded up in the raid were under-age workers, many of whom are telling investigators about their jobs, Julia Preston reports for The New York Times. More than 1,000 people attended a Postville immigration-reform rally on Sunday, Lynda Waddington writes for the Iowa Independent, which has reported extensively on this story raid. Opponents, below, also protested. (Iowa Independent photos)

The raid at Agriprocessors, the nation's largest kosher meatpacker, was the largest of its kind in U.S. history and "has drawn criticism for what some see as harsh tactics against the immigrants, with little action taken against their employers," Preston writes. "But in the aftermath of the arrests, labor investigators have reaped a bounty of new evidence from testimony of illegal immigrants, teenagers and adults, who were caught in the raid. In formal declarations, immigrants have described pervasive labor violations at the plant," which could lead to criminal charges against Agriprocessors' executives. Elmer L., a Guatemalan who was 16 when he started working on the plant's killing floors, said, "They told us they were going to call immigration if we complained."

Agriprocessors issued a statement saying the company did not employ workers under 18 and would fire any under-age worker who presented false documents to secure employment. Sonia Parras Konrad, a Des Moines lawyer representing many of the young workers and, says she has identified 27 who were under 18. Other possible violations include sexual harassment and wage and hour violations.

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus heard three hours of often emotional testimony criticizing immigration officials, the Department of Homeland Security and Agriprocessors while visiting Postville on Saturday. "Women whose husbands are being detained talked about their longing to be reunited, underage workers detailed deplorable working conditions and city and religious officials lamented the impact on the community," Jackson writes for the AP. Postville Mayor Robert Penrod encouraged the congressmen to tell others in Washington that immigration raids do not work. "This raid did nothing for this community," he said. "It downgraded us substantially. It caused people to suffer, and it caused our reputation to suffer clear across the country." Read past Postville-related items from the Rural Blog here.