Postville, Iowa, rally to support Agriprocessors workers
Juy 27, 2008: Postville, IA - More than 1,000 people rallied in defense of immigrants' rights, and to express concern over the mid-May ICE raid at the Agriprocessors meat processing plant in that community that resulted in nearly 400 workers being detained for up to five months, at which time they are expected to be deported; many of their spouses have been forced to wear GPS bracelet tracking devices, and, when their spouses are deported, they will go into detention.
Bus-loads of protestors went to Postville from Chicago, IL, St. Paul, MN, and Wisconsin.
[Photo of Eli Fishman, Chicago Director, JLC, taken by Abbey Fishman Romanek, a Chicago JLC board member; Matt Wolkowicz, a New York City member of the JLC's Educators Chapter, also traveled to the rally in Postville.]
The situation in Postville has been reported on in the press in diverse places. See, for instance:
Marching With the Faithful in Iowa, Forward, NY - July 31, 2008
Local residents support immigration reform rally in Postville, Decorah Journal, IA - Jul 31, 2008
Hundreds engage in peaceful protest in Postville, Waukon Standard, IA - Jul 30, 2008
Largest ICE roundup spawns rallies in Iowa, OneNewsNow, MS - Jul 30, 2008
Jewish activists rally in Postville to support Agriprocessors workers, Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle - Jul 28, 2008
Iowa Rally Protests Raid and Conditions at Plant, New York Times, United States - Jul 27, 2008
The Postville raid: Local group rallies to support immigrant workers, MinnPost.com, MN - Jul 25, 2008
Jewish Liberals Plan Rally in Postville, Jewish Federation of the Berkshires, MA - Jul 22, 2008
The Jewish Labor Committee, which issued a statement on May 23rd on the situation in Postville, has been conducting an online petition to the management of Agriprocessors. You are invited to read the petition, and add your name to the nearly 330 individuals who have signed on so far - and encourage others to do as well.