Feds should pursue charges at Agriprocessors

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=211987

The state followed through on child labor investigation
By TELEGRAPH HERALD EDITORIAL

Audio story here: http://www.audio-newsstand.com/Listen.aspx?Id=2ddb062a-d16b-4aa1-8cfd-bfa02f1cd5c4

The federal government could take a lesson from the state of Iowa in the way it is handling the situation at Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in Postville.

The Iowa labor commissioner is proceeding with charges stemming from an investigation that found 57 underage workers had worked at the country's largest kosher meatpacking plant. With potential for millions of dollars in fines, the charges constitute the highest volume of child labor violations in Iowa's history. Just so we're clear, this has nothing to do with the immigration charges. This is about employing children ages 14 to 17 when Iowa law says no one younger than 18 should work in a meatpacking plant at all.

The state's investigation had been ongoing for months before the May 12 federal immigration raid at Agriprocessors. The raid resulted in 389 arrests and was the largest in U.S. history. That delayed the state's investigation on the child labor laws. But labor commissioners got back on track and the case is moving forward.

What has come of the immigration raid and investigation? Not much. Two arrests. Two men -- Juan Carlos Guerrero-Espinoza and Martin De La Rosa-Loera -- were charged with encouraging illegal immigrants to reside in the U.S. and aiding and abetting the possession and use of fraudulent identification. Nearly 400 people were pulled out of the plant in the raid, and so far, in three months time, no charges have been filed against the company.

Federal officials must pursue charges against Agriprocessors. Could the federal government possibly believe Agriprocessors officials didn't know they had 400 illegal immigrants in their employ? Now Postville has seen the influx of hundreds of Somalians who have come for the vacated jobs at Agriprocessors. What safeguards are in place to ensure that these employees are here legally? Obviously, Agriprocessors has no intention of changing its ways unless and until the federal government enforces punishment.

State commissioners are to be commended for pursuing the serious violations that cross the spectrum of virtually every aspect of Iowa's child labor laws. Federal officials must show the same fortitude and move forward with charges against Agriprocessors. Nearly half of the company's workers were undocumented. Officials must hold Agriprocessors accountable.

Editorials reflect the consensus of the Telegraph Herald Editorial Board: Jim Normandin (publisher), Brian Cooper, Ken Brown, Steve Fisher, Monty Gilles and Amy Gilligan.