Immigration Raid Called Largest in Iowa’s History
POSTVILLE — Immigration officials raided the Agriprocessors Inc. meat processing plant in Postville on Monday, arresting as many as 300 people.
Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) entered the plant about 10 a.m. looking for evidence of identity theft, use of stolen Social Security numbers and for people who are in the country illegally, said Tim Counts, an ICE spokesman.
The raid was the largest such operation in Iowa history, said Matt M. Dummermuth, U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. He said the raid came after months of planning. Agriprocessors is the world’s largest kosher meatpacking plant.
The detainees were taken to the National Cattle Congress (NCC) grounds in Waterloo, said Barbara Gonzalez, an ICE spokeswoman, where agents had set up a an “intake center.”
Male detainees were to be held there until at least May 15. Female detainees were to be housed in local jails.
An ICE spokeswoman said about 300 people were detained, but 40 were quickly released for “humanitarian reasons,” possibly so they could care for their children. Immigration proceedings are pending against those people, officials said.
Read the rest at Iowa Farmer Today
Looks like being massively overrun by illegal immigrants isn’t just a problem of the southern states anymore.
