Largest-Ever ICE Raid Nets 390 at Iowa Meatpacking Plant
What officials say is the largest immigration raid ever conducted in the U.S. resulted in the arrest of 390 people yesterday at a kosher meatpacking plant in Iowa.
The raid, which was sparked by claims of rampant identity fraud, was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and involved 16 federal, state and local agencies, reports the Des Moines Register. Possible criminal activity and violations of labor laws, including payment to workers of less than the minimum wage, is also being investigated, according to the article.
A more recent Register article says the immigration raid is the largest ever conducted.
“Officials say 314 men and 76 women were initially taken into custody by ICE agents. Of that number, 56 have been released on humanitarian grounds, typically because their arrest would leave a child with no custodian,” reports the Associated Press.
Those arrested represent well over a third of the Postville plant’s 968 workers.
Additional coverage:
The Gazette: “Hundreds of detainees await fate after raid”
Des Moines Register: “Worker describes scene at plant”
