Immigration raid turns Iowa town into prison camp

In the aftermath of one of the largest immigration raids in U.S. history, the town of Postville, Iowa, has been transformed into an open-air prison. On May 12, immigration officials descended upon the town to arrest undocumented workers at the local meat-packing plant. The raid resulted in nearly 400 arrests, and left 43 women—wives of the men who were taken away—and their 150 children without status or a means of support. The women cannot leave the town and have been outfitted with electronic tracking bracelets on their ankles.

Maria Rosala Mejia Marroquin was among the women outfitted with electronic tracking devices.

The target of the raids was Agriprocessors Inc., the largest kosher meat-packing plant in the world. The Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid initially sought up to 75 percent of Agriprocessors’ 968 employees. By targeting the undocumented workers, most of whom were indigenous immigrants from Guatemala and southern Mexico, the raids effectively scared off most of the undocumented residents of the town. As a result of the raids, a third of the town’s population was gone by the following morning, either snatched up by ICE or running away for fear of arrest.

The Postville raid drew an angry outcry from immigrant rights activists all over the country. Many spoke out against the injustice of a system that penalizes one of the most oppressed sectors of society simply for seeking work to support themselves and their families.

The direct result of the raids was a palpable climate of fear in the town. Many families sought refuge in a local church, St. Bridgets. The church reported raising $500,000 to support the mothers and their families who sought refuge in the church or who were swept up in the raid. Some of these women are in extremely dire circumstances, as they have not yet been prosecuted and are still awaiting an outcome for their status. Meanwhile, aid poured in from all over country once people heard of the outrageous actions of the government in prosecuting these people and tearing up families and communities.

Because of their status, the women are not even allowed to work. As Father Paul Ouderkirk of St. Bridget’s told the National Post: “What kind of a government makes prisoners of 43 mothers who all have children and then says, ‘You can’t work, you can’t leave and can’t stay?’ That boggles the imagination.”

Many of the undocumented workers were prosecuted not for violating immigration laws but for identity theft because they used social security numbers that did not belong to them to secure employment. Most of those prosecuted by ICE under this scheme were given a plea bargain to serve five months in prison, at which time they will be deported. Most likely, their families will soon follow them. While the men serve time on the inside, the women and their families serve time on the outside.

The community of Postville, like many across the country, is questioning an immigration system that would deprive a town of its basic economic livelihood. An interfaith protest on July 27 by Catholic and Jewish denominations brought out 1,000 people in the town of 2,200. The protesters called on lawmakers to create ethical and humane approaches to immigration and to protect workers’ rights.