2 10 19 https://postvilleproject.org/stories/files/original/httpcdmlibunieducgi-binshowfile_05602b3a3a.execisoroot=postcisoptr=11 3665f7539d332e2bfc3cff5727213824 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Courier articles Description An account of the resource A collection of newspaper articles written by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. COURIER 05/ 13/ 2008 Car registrations, titles included in ICE investigation By JEFF REINITZ, Courier Staff Writer POSTVILLE - Vehicles with license plates from Des Moines County have caught the eye of federal postal and state transportation authorities. In fact, two of the things immigration agents sought to seize when they raided Agriprocessors on Monday were titles and registration for vehicles with Des Moines County license plates. Postville is located in Allamakee County, while Des Moines County is situated on the southeastern tip of Iowa, about 200 highway miles away, where Burlington is the seat. In September 2005, officials with the Iowa Department of Transportation began investigating why so many vehicles registered to Burlington residents were renewing their registration in Allamakee County, according to court records. Undocumented workers sometimes title vehicles in false identities and fake addresses to avoid detection by police or immigration officials, immigration officials said in court records. An alert DOT investigator noticed a number of the suspiciously titled vehicles could be found in the Agriprocessors parking lot, records state. Records allege officials uncovered a connection between the vehicles, a supervisor at Agriprocessors and a Cedar Rapids automobile dealership. Dealership managers told DOT officials they were good friends with the supervisor, who is referred to in court records only as " C," and had sold a large number of cars to people in Postville through him. Part of this arrangement allegedly breached Iowa law, which requires all vehicle dealers to be licensed, court records allege. Dealership managers told DOT investigators that " C" would call them for a specific type of vehicle, which they would buy at auction. " C" would then pick up the vehicle. The cars were then sold to people in Postville but titled in Chickasaw, Des Moines and other counties. When questioned, one person who applied to register vehicles for Postville residents told DOT officials he was mailed vehicle information and money to do the transactions. He then went to the Des Moines County Treasurer's Office to register on behalf of the new owner but used addresses of friends in the Burlington and West Burlington area, records state. He then arranged to pick up registrations and titles mailed to his friends and sent them in bulk to Postville. Investigators also talked with an illegal worker at the plant in 2006 who said a supervisor had approached him about buying a vehicle from him. When the worker declined, the supervisor refused to transfer him to a more favorable job at the plant, records state. In court records used to obtain a search warrant of the plant, ICE officials allege the supervisor's conduct amounted to aiding in harboring illegal aliens. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Car registrations, titles included in ICE investigation Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived http://www.wcfcourier.com/news/top_story/article_4ea2ef3e-72a8-5153-b6f5-695e35a681a6.html (copied with permision from Courier website on Aug. 11, 2009) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Reinitz, Jeff Description An account of the resource Newspaper article from May 13, 2008, Courier: Vehicles with license plates from Des Moines County have caught the eye of federal postal and state transportation authorities. In fact, two of the things immigration agents sought to seize when they raided Agriprocessors on Monday were titles and registration for vehicles with Des Moines County license plates. Subject The topic of the resource Postville Immigration Raid, Postville, Iowa, 2008; Automobiles--Registration and transfer--Iowa; Iowa. Dept. of Transportation. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Agriprocessors (Firm); Foreign workers--Iowa--Postville; Immigration enforcement--Iowa; Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant United States--Iowa--Allamakee--Postville Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 5 13 08 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Type The nature or genre of the resource document https://postvilleproject.org/stories/files/original/httpcdmlibunieducgi-binshowfile_322f0f48b7.execisoroot=postcisoptr=10 8a7ab10cb51a6cca574c706f24ae310c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Courier articles Description An account of the resource A collection of newspaper articles written by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Area Hispanics scurry to get paperwork in line Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived http://www.wcfcourier.com/news/top_story/article_805fc83f-f238-527e-9aae-638fcedbd414.html (copied with permision from Courier website on Aug. 11, 2009) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Christensen, Emily Description An account of the resource Newspaper article from May 12, 2008, Courier: With a raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials seeming almost inevitable many Hispanics in the Cedar Valley spent Monday getting their paperwork in order. Subject The topic of the resource Postville Immigration Raid, Postville, Iowa, 2008; Foreign workers--Legal status, laws, etc.; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Centro Latinoamericano (Organization); Hispanic Americans--Iowa--Legal status, laws, etc.; Latin Americans--Iowa--Legal status, laws, etc.; Basurto, Mario; Ayala, Beverly; Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant United States--Iowa--Black Hawk--Waterloo Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 5 12 08 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Type The nature or genre of the resource document https://postvilleproject.org/stories/files/original/httpcdmlibunieducgi-binshowfile_d9ac636910.execisoroot=postcisoptr=8 fa763d7d9f008aa229bf73c9fa4cd2a5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Courier articles Description An account of the resource A collection of newspaper articles written by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. COURIER 05/ 12/ 2008 UPDATE: Immigration raid termed largest in Iowa history By JEFF REINITZ, JENS MANUEL KROGSTAD and JOSH NELSON, Courier Staff Writers WATERLOO - Immigration officials raided the Agriprocessors Inc. meat processing plant in Postville today, arresting as many as 300 people. Agents with U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement entered the plant at 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 by agents from U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was the largest such operation in Iowa history, said Matt M. Dummermuth, U. S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. Dummermuth said the raid at the Agriprocessors Inc. plant came after months of planning. Agriprocessors is the world's largest kosher meatpacking plant. The detainees were being taken to the National Cattle Congress grounds in Waterloo, according to Barbara Gonzalez, and ICE spokeswoman, where agents had set up a an " intake center." Male detainees will be held there until at least Thursday. 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 still pending against those people, officials said. All the people taken into custody would be interviewed by ICE agents and public health officers to find out if they have health, caregiver or humanitarian concerns, according to a release from the U. S. Justice Department. Those arrested will face criminal and civil charges including identity theft, improper use of Social Security data and other crimes. " ICE is committed to enforcing the nation's immigration laws in theworkplace to maintain the integrity of the immigration system," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations based in Bloomington, Minn., in the release. Arnold is in charge of Monday's raid. About 1,000 to 1,050 people work at the plant, according to Iowa Workforce Development. Sholom Rubashkin, Agriprocessors vice president, declined to release any information about the raid. " Right now there is no comment," Rubashkin said. The U. S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa will be temporarily relocated to Waterloo in anticipation of the arrests, according to a release from the court. Chief Judge Linda Reade made the decision to make it easier for the families of those arrested and because of the scope of the operation, the release said. Courtrooms in Cedar Rapids and Sioux City weren't big enough to hold and process those arrested. The move will have a substantial effect on court operations in the Northern District. Jeff Giertz, a spokesman for U. S. Rep. Bruce Braley, D- Waterloo, said ICE officials notified Braley's office about a half hour after the raid had started. ICE described the raid as a " targeted enforcement action," Giertz said. " Basically they explained it they'd been investigating whatever violations in advance and they were looking for specific people," he said. Giertz said his office was told as many as 600 to 700 people could be detained. It was unclear if that many people would be arrested or merely detained until authorities could confirm their identities. ICE officials also told Braley's office that the National Cattle Congress would be used a processing center. A flurry of activity has been taking place on the cattle congress grounds in Waterloo since the raid. At 12: 25 p. m., a Homeland Security helicopter landed on the NCC grounds. Buses were on the grounds of Agriprocessors and NCC. Federal officials earlier this month set up dozens of trailers, generators and other equipment at the grounds, sparking fears in Waterloo and Northeast Iowa an immigration raid was in the works. NCC officials said last week they were told the space was rented for a training exercise. A toll- free hotline was set up by ICE for family and friends of those arrested at 1 ( 866) 341- 3858. Sister Mary McCauley, a Roman Catholic nun at St. Bridget's Catholic Church in Postville, told The Associated Press family members of plant workers were coming to the nearby church in tears. " The people right now are hearing and seeing the helicopters," McCauley said. " They are just panic-stricken and very frightened and some of them are coming to the church as a safe haven." The church is about five blocks from the plant, she said. She said rumors began swirling around the community on Friday about an upcoming raid, leaving many people worried. She said immigration officials arrived today with buses, vans and two helicopters. She said she went to the plant to help provide information and assist workers but was not allowed to get close. " Some of the people that are going to be detained are up against a fence and now they're tying their hands," she said. Many of the plant workers are Hispanic, mostly from Mexico and Guatemala, she said. Agriprocessors is the world's largest kosher meatpacking plant. In Waterloo, school administrators said they have yet to see any backlash from the Monday morning raids in Postville. No widespread absences had been reported. However, administrators, who are attending a meeting in Des Moines today and Tuesday, are keeping close tabs on the situation and preparing for any possible impact on students and their families. " We have heard the rumors and received information about the raid in Postville. We are always cognizant how it could affect our families. Our job is to help children cope and deal with difficult situations," said Sharon Miller, director of schools and community relations. " With any student who is facing a major concern we want to be there to provide support because what affects families affects our children and our schools." On Sunday, an immigrant rights workshop - put on in response to fears of a possible raid - drew several hundred people at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Waterloo. Hilda, who declined to give her full name because she fears deportation, lives in Waterloo with her 6- year- old daughter and husband, Enfraim, who works in construction. The family said they stayed after Mass for the meeting because they weren't sure what to do if authorities came to their home or work to arrest them. " We wanted to be prepared," Hilda said in Spanish. " We wanted to find out what to do if they detain us." El Centro Latinoamericano, a resource center in Waterloo, hastily organized the event after being flooded with calls about rumors of an immigration raid. The unrest started early last week after news spread federal officials, including some from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, had set up a temporary base at the National Cattle Congress. Local leaders and several immigrant rights organizations from Des Moines put on the presentation, which outlined the constitutional rights of every person, regardless of legal status. They handed out a detailed, wide- ranging survey that asked questions about who should take custody of children in case of arrest and if they desire legal assistance. Advocates also handed out power of attorney packets. People also received a " Rights Card" to hand to authorities in case of arrest. It states card- holder chooses to exercise their right to remain silent, and lists a contact number of an organization or attorney of the their choosing. Sol Varisco- Santini, program coordinator for Des Moines- based Catholic Charities, helped lead the workshop. She said the organized effort draws on lessons learned from a 2006 raid on a Swift meat processing plant in Marshalltown. By collecting lots of information from people and informing them of their rights, immigrant advocates hope to avoid some of the human rights violations they believe occurred during the Marshalltown raids. During the raid, Varisco- Santini said, reports of detainees not receiving food or water were not unusual. "( Illegal immigrants) do have their rights, and a lot of people don't know that," she said. " There's a lot of panic, and we wanted to help calm them." Feelings of unease have spread beyond Latino communities in Northeast Iowa. Varisco- Santini said Hispanics in Des Moines have also expressed fear, particularly because federal officials have been so tight- lipped about their intentions at NCC. Immigrant advocates from as far away as California are also monitoring the situation through list- servs and online news reports. Carole Gustafson, a board member at El Centro Latinoamericano, said the meeting was crucial because immigrants raised in other countries often come from a culture in which authority figures are never questioned. " In their country, you don't argue with authority figures. You don't have rights," she said. " So if a boss says, all the Latinos come with me ... it's kind of like leading sheep to slaughter. That's what was so important about today." ICE has set up a toll- free number for family members to find out that family members can call to find out the status of those detained, and detention locations. That number is ( 866) 341- 3858. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Immigration raid termed largest in Iowa history Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived http://wcfcourier.com/news/top_story/article_db24f73f-1aaf-5ba6-99b8-2193f2ff9ae0.html (copied with permision from Courier website on Aug. 11, 2009) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Reinitz, Jeff Description An account of the resource Newspaper article from May 12, 2008, Courier: Immigration officials raided the Agriprocessors Inc. meat processing plant in Postville today, arresting as many as 300 people. Subject The topic of the resource Postville Immigration Raid, Postville, Iowa, 2008; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Agriprocessors (Firm); Illegal aliens--Iowa--Postville; Foreign workers, Mexican--Iowa--Postville; Foreign workers, Guatemalan--Iowa--Postville; United States--Emigration and immigration--Government policy; McCauley, Mary; St. Bridget's Catholic Church (Postville, Iowa); Human rights workers--Iowa; Centro Latinoamericano (Organization); Varisco-Santini, Sol; Catholic Charities (Diocese of Des Moines); Gustafson, Carole; Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant United States--Iowa--Allamakee--Postville;United States--Iowa--Black Hawk--Waterloo Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 5 12 08 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Krogstad, Jens Manuel; Nelson, Josh; Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Type The nature or genre of the resource document https://postvilleproject.org/stories/files/original/httpcdmlibunieducgi-binshowfile_4e7f94452f.execisoroot=postcisoptr=3 63bdcb19ff8d145262dd3933b2e3b4cb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Courier articles Description An account of the resource A collection of newspaper articles written by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. COURIER 05/ 11/ 2008 Activists worried about immigration raid in Waterloo WATERLOO ( AP) -- Immigration rights activists are concerned that the federal government may be planning an immigration raid on workers in Waterloo similar to one carried out in Marshalltown in 2006. Several activists gathered Sunday at a Waterloo church and at the home of a local social worker to discuss what they consider to be an impending raid. Discussions were prompted by an announcement last week that federal officials have leased the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo. Immigration activists say they fear the fairgrounds is being prepared as a detention center. Federal officials have refused to comment on whether they're planning an immigration raid. The government said earlier this month that it leased the cattle congress grounds for a training exercise. The federal government's lease is approved through May 25. Doug Miller, general manager of the fairgrounds, said he was not allowed to release many details, but notes that contractors have installed massive generators next to many of the buildings and covered up many of the windows. A number of trailers have also been set up at the site over several weeks. The activists meeting Sunday discussed strategies for caring for children and identifying detainees after a raid. U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement " is not saying anything, and sending the stress level here high," said Sol Varisco- Santini of Catholic Charities in Des Moines. The information session held at the Queen of Peace Catholic Church after a noon mass in Spanish, included several handouts that detail what people should do when confronted by police, and provided contact information for immigration attorneys in Iowa. " It's all we can do," Varisco said. " We can't avoid this." In December 2006, ICE conducted an immigration raid at the Swift & Co. meatpacking plant in Marshalltown. Several workers were taken to Camp Dodge in Johnston and held in military barracks. About 1,280 Swift workers were arrested in Iowa and five other states in the biggest crackdown in history on immigration violations at one company. Tyson Foods Inc. owns a meatpacking plant in Waterloo. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Activists worried about immigration raid in Waterloo Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived http://www.wcfcourier.com/news/breaking_news/article_6d061a33-aa94-5cf6-8c5c-e386abe556c0.html (copied with permision from Courier website on Aug. 11, 2009) Description An account of the resource Newspaper article from May 11, 2008, Courier: Immigration rights activists are concerned that the federal government may be planning an immigration raid on workers in Waterloo similar to one carried out in Marshalltown in 2006. Subject The topic of the resource United States -- Emigration and immigration -- Government policy; Human rights workers--Iowa; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant United States--Iowa--Black Hawk--Waterloo Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Type The nature or genre of the resource document https://postvilleproject.org/stories/files/original/20080513postville-detainees-include-guatemalans,-other-nationalities,-and-some-juveniles_cd0e0ded0d.pdf 18a03bfb07d675915af8a8f983230bed Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Courier articles Description An account of the resource A collection of newspaper articles written by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. WATERLOO - Officials with the U.S. Attorney's office in Cedar Rapids said this morning Monday's raid at Agriprocessors in Postville is the largest enforcement operation at a single site in the United States in terms of the number of people administratively arrested. Most of the administrative arrests in the raid were Guatemalans but included four different nationalities, officials with the U.S. Attorney's office said. Of the estimated 390 detainees, 290 were Guatemalans and 93 were Mexicans, as well as a handful of Israelis and Ukrainians, officials said. Of those detainees, 314 were male, 76 were female. Twelve were juveniles, officials said. Officials said many of the individuals are being held in Estel Hall on the National Cattle congress grounds. Intake processing was occurring at McElroy Auditorium. An immigration attorney gained was allowed access to the National Cattle Congress grounds late this morning. Meanwhile Efforts to bring families currently staying in a Catholic church in Postville closer to detained family members and legal aid was underway this morning at El Centro Latinoamericano. The Guatemalan consulate in Chicago said this morning it is sending two representatives to the center this evening. The Latino resource center is coordinating with area churches and St. Bridget's Catholic Church in Postville to transport people down to shelters in Waterloo. Also a prayer vigil has been scheduled 6:30 p.m. tonight at Queen of Peace Catholic Church , 320 Mulberry St. A bank account, called Postville Support Fund, has been set up at Veridian Credit Union benefit detainees and their families. Read Wednesday's Courier and online updates for more details. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Postville detainees include Guatemalans, other nationalities, and some juveniles Subject The topic of the resource Postville Immigration Raid, Postville, Iowa, 2008; United States. |b Attorney (Iowa : Northern District); Immigration enforcement--Iowa; Foreign workers, Guatemalan--Iowa; Foreign workers, Mexican--Iowa; National Cattle Congress (Waterloo, Iowa); U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Centro Latinoamericano (Organization); St. Bridget's Catholic Church (Postville, Iowa); Queen of Peace Catholic Church (Waterloo, Iowa); Agriprocessors (Firm); Illegal aliens--Iowa--Postville; Description An account of the resource Newspaper article from May 13, 2008, Courier: Officials with the U.S. Attorney's office in Cedar Rapids said this morning Monday's raid at Agriprocessors in Postville is the largest enforcement operation at a single site in the United States in terms of the number of people administratively arrested. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-05-13 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource U.S. and International copyright laws protect this digital object. Commercial use or distribution of this object not permitted without prior permission of copyright holder. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource document Language A language of the resource en Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant United States--Iowa--Black Hawk--Waterloo; United States--Iowa--Allamakee--Postville https://postvilleproject.org/stories/files/original/20080512vigil-at-national-cattle-congress_83c57f78ca.pdf 8204c57ee251cdaf70d357e0e64b265e Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Courier articles Description An account of the resource A collection of newspaper articles written by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. Vigil at National Cattle Congress WATERLOO --- A group of 50 or more people are gathered outside the gates of National Cattle Congress tonight in a peaceful vigil on behalf of those people detained at the Agriprocessors Inc. meat processing plant in Postville earlier in the day. Federal immigration officials are holding the male detainees on the grounds of National Cattle Congress in Waterloo, which the federal government has rented for the entire month of May. Female detainees have been taken to jails. A group from El Centro, area churches and others are gathered outside the gates. We will provide more information and pictures as they become available. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Vigil at National Cattle Congress Subject The topic of the resource Postville Immigration Raid, Postville, Iowa, 2008; Demonstrations; National Cattle Congress (Waterloo, Iowa); Agriprocessors (Firm); U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Centro Latinoamericano (Organization); Description An account of the resource Newspaper article from May 12, 2008, Courier: A group of 50 or more people are gathered outside the gates of National Cattle Congress tonight in a peaceful vigil on behalf of those people detained at the Agriprocessors Inc. meat processing plant in Postville earlier in the day. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-05-12 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource U.S. and International copyright laws protect this digital object. Commercial use or distribution of this object not permitted without prior permission of copyright holder. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource document Language A language of the resource en Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant United States--Iowa--Black Hawk--Waterloo https://postvilleproject.org/stories/files/original/20080512update-immigration-raid-termed-largest-in-iowa-history_0f87314e0c.pdf fa763d7d9f008aa229bf73c9fa4cd2a5 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Courier articles Description An account of the resource A collection of newspaper articles written by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. UPDATE: Immigration raid termed largest in Iowa history By JEFF REINITZ, JENS MANUEL KROGSTAD and JOSH NELSON, Courier Staff Writers WATERLOO - Immigration officials raided the Agriprocessors Inc. meat processing plant in Postville today, arresting as many as 300 people. Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement entered the plant at 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 by agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was the largest such operation in Iowa history, said Matt M. Dummermuth, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. Dummermuth said the raid at the Agriprocessors Inc. plant came after months of planning. Agriprocessors is the world's largest kosher meatpacking plant. The detainees were being taken to the National Cattle Congress grounds in Waterloo, according to Barbara Gonzalez, and ICE spokeswoman, where agents had set up a an "intake center." Male detainees will be held there until at least Thursday. 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 still pending against those people, officials said. All the people taken into custody would be interviewed by ICE agents and public health officers to find out if they have health, caregiver or humanitarian concerns, according to a release from the U.S. Justice Department. Those arrested will face criminal and civil charges including identity theft, improper use of Social Security data and other crimes. "ICE is committed to enforcing the nation's immigration laws in theworkplace to maintain the integrity of the immigration system," said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations based in Bloomington, Minn., in the release. Arnold is in charge of Monday's raid. About 1,000 to 1,050 people work at the plant, according to Iowa Workforce Development. Sholom Rubashkin, Agriprocessors vice president, declined to release any information about the raid. "Right now there is no comment," Rubashkin said. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa will be temporarily relocated to Waterloo in anticipation of the arrests, according to a release from the court. Chief Judge Linda Reade made the decision to make it easier for the families of those arrested and because of the scope of the operation, the release said. Courtrooms in Cedar Rapids and Sioux City weren't big enough to hold and process those arrested. The move will have a substantial effect on court operations in the Northern District. Jeff Giertz, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Waterloo, said ICE officials notified Braley's office about a half hour after the raid had started. ICE described the raid as a "targeted enforcement action," Giertz said. "Basically they explained it they'd been investigating whatever violations in advance and they were looking for specific people," he said. Giertz said his office was told as many as 600 to 700 people could be detained. It was unclear if that many people would be arrested or merely detained until authorities could confirm their identities. ICE officials also told Braley's office that the National Cattle Congress would be used a processing center. A flurry of activity has been taking place on the cattle congress grounds in Waterloo since the raid. At 12:25 p.m., a Homeland Security helicopter landed on the NCC grounds. Buses were on the grounds of Agriprocessors and NCC. Federal officials earlier this month set up dozens of trailers, generators and other equipment at the grounds, sparking fears in Waterloo and Northeast Iowa an immigration raid was in the works. NCC officials said last week they were told the space was rented for a training exercise. A toll-free hotline was set up by ICE for family and friends of those arrested at 1 (866) 341-3858. Sister Mary McCauley, a Roman Catholic nun at St. Bridget's Catholic Church in Postville, told The Associated Press family members of plant workers were coming to the nearby church in tears. "The people right now are hearing and seeing the helicopters," McCauley said. "They are just panic-stricken and very frightened and some of them are coming to the church as a safe haven." The church is about five blocks from the plant, she said. She said rumors began swirling around the community on Friday about an upcoming raid, leaving many people worried. She said immigration officials arrived today with buses, vans and two helicopters. She said she went to the plant to help provide information and assist workers but was not allowed to get close. "Some of the people that are going to be detained are up against a fence and now they're tying their hands," she said. Many of the plant workers are Hispanic, mostly from Mexico and Guatemala, she said. Agriprocessors is the world's largest kosher meatpacking plant. In Waterloo, school administrators said they have yet to see any backlash from the Monday morning raids in Postville. No widespread absences had been reported. However, administrators, who are attending a meeting in Des Moines today and Tuesday, are keeping close tabs on the situation and preparing for any possible impact on students and their families. "We have heard the rumors and received information about the raid in Postville. We are always cognizant how it could affect our families. Our job is to help children cope and deal with difficult situations," said Sharon Miller, director of schools and community relations. "With any student who is facing a major concern we want to be there to provide support because what affects families affects our children and our schools." On Sunday, an immigrant rights workshop - put on in response to fears of a possible raid - drew several hundred people at Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Waterloo. Hilda, who declined to give her full name because she fears deportation, lives in Waterloo with her 6-year-old daughter and husband, Enfraim, who works in construction. The family said they stayed after Mass for the meeting because they weren't sure what to do if authorities came to their home or work to arrest them. "We wanted to be prepared," Hilda said in Spanish. "We wanted to find out what to do if they detain us." El Centro Latinoamericano, a resource center in Waterloo, hastily organized the event after being flooded with calls about rumors of an immigration raid. The unrest started early last week after news spread federal officials, including some from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, had set up a temporary base at the National Cattle Congress. Local leaders and several immigrant rights organizations from Des Moines put on the presentation, which outlined the constitutional rights of every person, regardless of legal status. They handed out a detailed, wide-ranging survey that asked questions about who should take custody of children in case of arrest and if they desire legal assistance. Advocates also handed out power of attorney packets. People also received a "Rights Card" to hand to authorities in case of arrest. It states card-holder chooses to exercise their right to remain silent, and lists a contact number of an organization or attorney of the their choosing. Sol Varisco-Santini, program coordinator for Des Moines-based Catholic Charities, helped lead the workshop. She said the organized effort draws on lessons learned from a 2006 raid on a Swift meat processing plant in Marshalltown. By collecting lots of information from people and informing them of their rights, immigrant advocates hope to avoid some of the human rights violations they believe occurred during the Marshalltown raids. During the raid, Varisco-Santini said, reports of detainees not receiving food or water were not unusual. "(Illegal immigrants) do have their rights, and a lot of people don't know that," she said. "There's a lot of panic, and we wanted to help calm them." Feelings of unease have spread beyond Latino communities in Northeast Iowa. Varisco-Santini said Hispanics in Des Moines have also expressed fear, particularly because federal officials have been so tight-lipped about their intentions at NCC. Immigrant advocates from as far away as California are also monitoring the situation through list-servs and online news reports. Carole Gustafson, a board member at El Centro Latinoamericano, said the meeting was crucial because immigrants raised in other countries often come from a culture in which authority figures are never questioned. "In their country, you don't argue with authority figures. You don't have rights," she said. "So if a boss says, all the Latinos come with me ... it's kind of like leading sheep to slaughter. That's what was so important about today." ICE has set up a toll-free number for family members to find out that family members can call to find out the status of those detained, and detention locations. That number is (866) 341-3858. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Immigration raid termed largest in Iowa history Subject The topic of the resource Postville Immigration Raid, Postville, Iowa, 2008; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Agriprocessors (Firm); Illegal aliens--Iowa--Postville; Foreign workers, Mexican--Iowa--Postville; Foreign workers, Guatemalan--Iowa--Postville; United States--Emigration and immigration--Government policy; McCauley, Mary; St. Bridget's Catholic Church (Postville, Iowa); Human rights workers--Iowa; Centro Latinoamericano (Organization); Varisco-Santini, Sol; Catholic Charities (Diocese of Des Moines); Gustafson, Carole; Description An account of the resource Newspaper article from May 12, 2008, Courier: Immigration officials raided the Agriprocessors Inc. meat processing plant in Postville today, arresting as many as 300 people. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Reinitz, Jeff Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-05-12 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Krogstad, Jens Manuel; Nelson, Josh; Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource U.S. and International copyright laws protect this digital object. Commercial use or distribution of this object not permitted without prior permission of copyright holder. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource document Language A language of the resource en Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant United States--Iowa--Allamakee--Postville; United States--Iowa--Black Hawk--Waterloo https://postvilleproject.org/stories/files/original/20080512area-hispanics-scurry-to-get-paperwork-in-line_11a6915f2e.pdf 8a7ab10cb51a6cca574c706f24ae310c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Courier articles Description An account of the resource A collection of newspaper articles written by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. Area Hispanics scurry to get paperwork in line By EMILY CHRISTENSEN, Courier Staff Writer WATERLOO - With a raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials seeming almost inevitable many Hispanics in the Cedar Valley spent Monday getting their paperwork in order. Every chair inside the small waiting room at El Centro Latinoamericano was filled and more people crowded the hallway waiting to see a case worker. But it wasn't just work permits and Social Security cards they were worried about. One man, who asked not to be identified, said he was waiting with family members who were in the country legally on a work permit but were worried what would happen to their special needs daughter should they be arrested and detained. Mario Basurto, project coordinator for El Centro Latinoamericano, said that story was representative of many of the inquiries case workers had been fielding for a few weeks. "Normally we see about 20 clients a day. We are averaging about 20 an hour," Basurto said. "And we are getting about 50 or 60 calls. A lot of people are even scared to come to our office." He said that even those living legally in the United States are seeking their office's support because they can also be detained for several days before their paperwork is documented. Beverly Ayala, who owns La Chiquita in downtown Waterloo with her husband, said she has been answering similar questions at her store. "It's been kind of quiet today, but Mondays are always slow because the restaurant is closed," she said between phone calls. "My phone has been ringing off the wall. Latinos, non-Latinos. They are all calling and concerned." Ayala has also helped several Latinos draw up power of attorney papers, which she is also able to notarize. She said those requests began pouring in following similar raids on the Swift meat processing plant in Marshalltown in 2006. "If they are arrested they could be gone for days or weeks or months. They need to know there is someone there to take care of their kids while they are in jail," she said. "And if they are deported, they need someone to have guardianship over their children so they can get them a passport and get the kids back to Mexico with their parents." Basurto said the fear stretched far beyond the Cedar Valley, especially once word of the raid in Postville began to spread. He said people had called asking questions from as far away as Des Moines and Nebraska. The agency and the Ayalas are also working with other legal immigrants to inform all Latinos they have certain rights while in custody. Ayala printed up copies of the Miranda Rights in Spanish to pass out among her customers and their families and friends. "They need to understand that even if they are here illegally there are certain rights they have," she said. Ayala said the fear has yet to affect her business, which she said now attracts a very diverse clientele. However, she does expect places like Agriprocessors in Postville to have to cut back or even shut down their plant given the number of workers taken into custody today. "This is going to affect the cost of their business which will in turn affect the cost of the products they are selling and will impact the economy," she said. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Area Hispanics scurry to get paperwork in line Subject The topic of the resource Postville Immigration Raid, Postville, Iowa, 2008; Foreign workers--Legal status, laws, etc.; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Centro Latinoamericano (Organization); Hispanic Americans--Iowa--Legal status, laws, etc.; Latin Americans--Iowa--Legal status, laws, etc.; Basurto, Mario; Ayala, Beverly; Description An account of the resource Newspaper article from May 12, 2008, Courier: With a raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials seeming almost inevitable many Hispanics in the Cedar Valley spent Monday getting their paperwork in order. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Christensen, Emily Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-05-12 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource U.S. and International copyright laws protect this digital object. Commercial use or distribution of this object not permitted without prior permission of copyright holder. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource document Language A language of the resource en Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant United States--Iowa--Black Hawk--Waterloo https://postvilleproject.org/stories/files/original/20080511activists-worried-about-immigration-raid-in-waterloo_022d1ae9a1.pdf 63bdcb19ff8d145262dd3933b2e3b4cb Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Courier articles Description An account of the resource A collection of newspaper articles written by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Text Any textual data included in the document. Activists worried about immigration raid in Waterloo WATERLOO (AP) -- Immigration rights activists are concerned that the federal government may be planning an immigration raid on workers in Waterloo similar to one carried out in Marshalltown in 2006. Several activists gathered Sunday at a Waterloo church and at the home of a local social worker to discuss what they consider to be an impending raid. Discussions were prompted by an announcement last week that federal officials have leased the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo. Immigration activists say they fear the fairgrounds is being prepared as a detention center. Federal officials have refused to comment on whether they're planning an immigration raid. The government said earlier this month that it leased the cattle congress grounds for a training exercise. The federal government's lease is approved through May 25. Doug Miller, general manager of the fairgrounds, said he was not allowed to release many details, but notes that contractors have installed massive generators next to many of the buildings and covered up many of the windows. A number of trailers have also been set up at the site over several weeks. The activists meeting Sunday discussed strategies for caring for children and identifying detainees after a raid. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement "is not saying anything, and sending the stress level here high," said Sol Varisco-Santini of Catholic Charities in Des Moines. The information session held at the Queen of Peace Catholic Church after a noon mass in Spanish, included several handouts that detail what people should do when confronted by police, and provided contact information for immigration attorneys in Iowa. "It's all we can do," Varisco said. "We can't avoid this." In December 2006, ICE conducted an immigration raid at the Swift & Co. meatpacking plant in Marshalltown. Several workers were taken to Camp Dodge in Johnston and held in military barracks. About 1,280 Swift workers were arrested in Iowa and five other states in the biggest crackdown in history on immigration violations at one company. Tyson Foods Inc. owns a meatpacking plant in Waterloo. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Activists worried about immigration raid in Waterloo Subject The topic of the resource United States -- Emigration and immigration -- Government policy; Human rights workers--Iowa; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Description An account of the resource Newspaper article from May 11, 2008, Courier: Immigration rights activists are concerned that the federal government may be planning an immigration raid on workers in Waterloo similar to one carried out in Marshalltown in 2006. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008-05-11 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Courier (Waterloo, Iowa) Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource U.S. and International copyright laws protect this digital object. Commercial use or distribution of this object not permitted without prior permission of copyright holder. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource document Language A language of the resource en Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Coverage The spatial or temporal topic of the resource, the spatial applicability of the resource, or the jurisdiction under which the resource is relevant United States--Iowa--Black Hawk--Waterloo