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As we arrived, the scale of the action quickly became evident – throngs were simply pouring into Postville from every direction.
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I joined two full tour buses organized by JCUA for the five hour ride. Marchers came from throughout the Midwest – largely from Iowa, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN), the Jewish Coucil on Urban Affairs (Chicago), and the Office for College Ministries at Luther College (Decorah, IA). Bridget’s Catholic Church, Jewish Community Action (St. This action brought together an unprecedented coalition of activists and was organized by Postville’s St. Yesterday’s demonstration was organized to show solidarity with the Agriprocessor workers and their families and to shine a bright light on our profoundly broken immigration policy. (Agriprocessors has not been charged, although there have been widespread and growing charges of worker abuse at the plant). According to the terms of their sentence, they are to be deported after serving their time. Most of the detained workers were sentenced to five months in prison for engaging in identity theft, in addition to being charged with committing a civil offense for living in the US illegally. This is the first time that criminal charges were used as a deportation tactic in an immigrant raid. Ninety were subsequently released (many with GPS ankle bracelets) – the remaining 300 have convicted as criminals on felony charges.
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It was the largest single-site workplace raid in US history, resulting in the detainment of 390 employees (out of a total of 968). Some brief background for those who still need it: on May 12, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided the Agriprocessors kosher meat packing plant. I’m still processing the experience the morning after – suffice to say this action provided a powerful ray of light in the midst of the ongoing tragedy that is Postville. I spent an incredible day yesterday in Postville, Iowa, where an interfaith mobilization of nearly 1,500 people prayed, marched, sang and testified in solidarity with the 390 immigrant Agriprocessor workers arrested in the May 12 raid.