Immigration raid press conference in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Postville raid is 'the largest of its kind in Iowa'

POSTVILLE - More than 300 people here have already been arrested in what is being called the largest operation of its kind in Iowa, federal officials said this afternoon.



At 10 a.m., Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered Agriprocessors, Inc., as part of an ongoing investigation and to execute criminal search warrants for aggravated identify theft, fraudulent use of Social Security numbers and other crimes, as well as a civil search warrant to find people living illegally in the United States.



At a 2 p.m. news conference in Cedar Rapids, ICE spokesman Tim Counts said most of the arrests so far are for administrative immigration violations, although more information about the identities and jobs of those arrests are not being released at this time.



Those arrested are being held in Estel Hall at the National Cattle Congress grounds in Waterloo, until at least Wednesday night, he said. Estel Hall, also known as Cedar Valley Expo, serves as the grounds’ merchant showroom.



The Agriprocessors raid has already netted the largest number of arrests carried out at a single location, Counts said. He would not say whether other companies or locations will be involved in the raid.



“I can only talk about today,” Counts said. “We can’t comment on any future investigations or activities.

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Investigation into activity at Agriprocessors began in October 2007, said Matt Dummermuth, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa. Officials would not answer more in-depth questions on the background of the raid or how it is being carried out.



ICE agents are asking detainees “several times” if they have medical, child care or other humanitarian needs, said Claude Arnold, ICE Special Agent in Charge. The interviews will help determine if those arrested will be detained or conditionally released on humanitarian grounds.



So far, 44 people have been released under supervision, mostly because they are the primary caregivers of children who have no other responsible adult to care for them.



Counts said the Department of Human Services was contacted before the raid began to provide services to families. A 24-hour information hot line at 1-866-341-3858 was established for family members to check on the status of the detainees.



An official update on the raid is expected at 10 a.m. tomorrow. Counts said 63 pages of the search warrants used in the raid have been released to explain more about the basis of the investigation, and government video of the inside of the holding facility is expected to be distributed.



ICE agents entered plant around 10 a.m.


Immigration Custom Enforcement entered Agriprocessors here this morning as part of an ongoing investigation and to execute, criminal search warrants for aggravated identify theft, fraudulant use of Social Security numbers and other crimes and a civil search warrant for people illegally in the United States. Tim Counts, ICE spokesperson, said they have no idea on numbers yet.



Those arrested will be questioned by ICE to determine if they have medical, caregiver or other humanitarian needs.



The interviews will help determine if those arrested will be detained or conditionally released on humanitarian grounds.



Counts said the Department of Human Services was contacted before the raid begain and a 24-hour information hot line - 1-866-341-3858 - for family members was established.



Braley's spokesman: 600 to 700 arrests

Immigration officials told aides to Rep. Bruce Braley, 1st District Democrat, that the sweep was expected to result in the arrests of hundreds of workers.



“The latest we heard is there may be as many as 600 to 700 arrests,’ spokesman Jeff Giertz said in Washington.



Immigration authorities notified Braley’s office of the enforcement action by e-mail, and aides later talked to numbers representatives, Giertz said. Braley did not plan to visit the plant.



It is expected the Cattle Congress grounds will be used to initially detain the suspects, who are apparently being questioned about fraudulent identity activities, including the use of Social Security cards. Giertz said he had no specific, independent knowledge of the purpose of the raid or if officials of Agriprocessors were targets.



Families in tears
Sister Mary McCauley, a Roman Catholic nun at St. Bridget’s Catholic Church in Postville, told The Associated Press that 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.

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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 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.