Largest ever immigration raid creates turmoil in Iowa town

[AddisonMiles]

Excerpt -

"Mona Kilborn holds her sign high -- "An Illegal Alien Killed My Mother." Her voice carries as she tells her story, and a crowd draws near. "Let me describe the terror I felt when I woke up to find my mother dead and my husband bathed in blood," she says.

She arose from unconsciousness in 2007 to discover that an illegal immigrant ran a stop sign and smashed her van. Her mother died. Her husband suffered a broken back. The Hispanic driver possessed no license, and her criminal file showed prior problems.

Two blocks down, Roselia Ramirez grips her own poster, reading, "To those who say illegal immigrants take their jobs: Now that I'm not working at Agriprocessors, why aren't you?"

She speaks no English and turns to a family friend to translate what she feels. "A lot of sadness. A lot of pain," she says. "I am a human being, just like everybody else."

Link: http://daoureport.com/chatter/largest-ever-immigration-raid-creates-turmoil-in-iowa-town/

[tazkcmo]

1. I'd happily work there

if the company would hire me but apparently they prefer immigrants over natural born citizens. Normally I would applaud a company for giving a newly "minted" citizen an opportunity to start his/her new life with a good paying job but my gut feeling is this company's hiring practices are meant to fill their payroll with quiet, subservient and cheaper employees.

To be clear, I fully support legal immigration to this country. I think it is GREAT for us to infuse new blood into our society. I am against illegal immigration for a number of reasons and think companies should be punished for hiring illegal immigrants. The solution to this problem is not penalizing the illegal with jail time, fines, etc, rather it starts in the countries where these folks are coming from.

I feel for the families that have been broken apart by the raid but I refuse to feel guilty about their circumstances. Just as I have to face the consequences of my illegal activity (smoking pot) so must the illegal immigrant face their consequences for illegal border crossing.

[DU9598]

2. Sorry

I really have empathy for those who "refuse to feel guilty" for families being ripped apart. The thing is, you have no reason to feel guilty if you are not benefitting from the cheap labor provided by immigrant labor. However, if you eat meat, vegetables, or most any other agricultural product - or if you smoke cigarettes you likely are.

I, speaking only for myself, wonder what I would do if there were ZERO job opportunities in the United States and I had a child to care for or an elderly parent to care for or god forbid a disabled child to care for - and just 500 miles to the north in Canada they had an excess of job positions and it is well-known that Canadian companies are willing to look the other way if I get a fake canadian drivers license and the company will pay me a bonus to move to their town. HMMMM, what would I do? Go where there is economic opportunity or watch my child go hungry? Not a tough choice for me - canada's racist immigration laws be damned.

[tazkcmo]

5. I agree with you!

I would do the same as these illegal immigrants put in the same position. That is why I said the solution starts in the countries of origin and NOT jailing or fining the illegal.

I am in the construction industry and have watched my wages decline over the last 10 years as illegal immigrants in the industry have literally flooded this particular work force. In 1980 I began hanging sheetrock at $8.00/hr. I have just taken a position with a remodeling company (I was on my own for about a year but I did not have the customer base for sustained income) and am starting at $10/hr. Just one example and I could go on and on.

Again let me say I agree 100% with you. I know MANY illegal immigrants and count some as very good friends. I do not attempt to villainize them raher I DO villainize our policies and business environment that allows desperate conditions in these countries of origin in the name of capitalism.

[DU9598]

6. Jail the owners of the company

That is the best way to reform the system until we can find a rational and reasonable immigration policy.

[DU9598]

3. Oh - and tazkcmo

If you want a job application go here: <http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/job-J2R48SK73JA;_ylt=AvP4eXZF_x2zmSLG7LVW9ML6Q6IX?search_url=%2Fjob-search-l-Postville-IA-m-0>

I guarantee that you will get a position if you apply. Let me know how it goes for you.

[tazkcmo]

8. Thank you also

I dare to venture that we have many more agreements than disagreements on this issue. I respect your opnions and hope you respect mine.

[madrchsod]

4. after the raid they hired a placement firm

the placement firm found people to work but they quit because of safety issues. so the company hired homeless people from houston or dallas texas...

i do`t think you want to work there....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriprocessors


http://www.goveg.com/feat/AgriProcessors/


http://www.eyeonagriprocessors.org/


http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c37_a9467/News/National.html


http://iowaindependent.com/2371/agriprocessors-ignored-government-warnings-for-years

[tazkcmo]

7. Thank you

That info only reinforces my point that it's the people that are the problem, it's the corps and the whole profit motive. Hold the companies accountable.

I am not the most gifted of communicators but I think I have made it clear, I am not against people trying to make a living. I am against ILLEGAL immigration. I am against MC's exploiting cheap labor in other countries. I am against our policies that allow this exploitation. I am against discriminatory immigration policies. I am FOR a living wage and opportunity for All people in their home countries.

Look, as I said, I know many illegal immigrants. Some are from Latin American countries and others are from Europe. Several are from Ireland. We sit around and discuss this issue alot. Nobody wants to leave their family, friends, country they love and take the the great risk they take in crossing the border. And I bear them no ill will. But what about my kids? My well being? Would you not agree illegal immigration is a problem?

[madrchsod]

9. yes it is a problem.

i can`t be pissed off because people want to come here to work. i do have a problem with employers that use "illegals" as cheap labor.

obama is right...there are forces that gain by pitting us against each other