Picture courtesy of Liz Martin of The Cedar Rapids Gazette
Once again the Latino community in Iowa is shaken up by ICE agents, after on Monday, May 12 federal agents with help of local authorities carried out a raid that currently is considered the biggest one in the history of the state.
The raid took place at the Agriprocessors Inc., the nation’s largest processor plant of kosher meat, in Postville, Iowa, which was a real nightmare for 390 immigrants who were arrested, the majority of Guatemalan and Mexican descent. But the nightmare does not end there; the arrests in Postville have sent chills down the spine of all undocumented immigrants in the United States and specially those who live in Iowa.
Such immigration detail was planned with plenty of time according to various news agencies across the nation, some which say that it was in the works since October of 2007. Of those arrested 93 were Mexican nationals, 290 Guatemalans and the rest from Russia, Israel, and Ukraine. In the operation 15 law enforcement agencies assisted, headed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) part of Homeland Security. ICE was in charge of making sure nobody escaped. To make sure there were no claims of abuse, it was accompanied by the Department of Human Services.
Even so, some were run over. The raid did violate international rule that allows those detained to contact their consulate. Members from the Consulate of Mexico as well as from Guatemala did arrive to assist their respective countrymen.
Those detained were in stables where one would exhibit livestock, but customized to be temporary prisons. But it was not until the next day when ICE permitted representatives from the consulates to go inside to see the detainees.
Like the Mexican consulate explained via telephone, it was too late to prevent, “some countrymen signed declarations that will be used against them, because they lacked the proper information.”
Gustavo Adolfo Lopez, General Consulate of Guatemala in Chicago – who has jurisdiction in the state of Iowa – said that 290 Guatemalans were detained, of which he was able to free 30 of the 46 who were set free for humanitarian reasons.
ICE agents said that 390 immigrants were captured, 125 were charged with identity theft and unauthorized use of social security numbers.
The Guatemalan Consulate went to Waterloo, where he met with families of those detained and leaders of community organizations, among them El Centro Latinoamericano (The Latin-American Center), to figure out strategies of family reunification.
During the meeting, Lopez told them of the actions that would be implemented because of the mission of the consulate, like value their human rights, access to legal representation, and contact with the consulates.
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