BREAKING! US IMMIGRATION POLICE RAID AGRIPROCESSORS

I've been told by two sources that more than 200 immigration police, troopers and federal agents are in the process of raiding Agriprocessors in Postville, Iowa. Helicopters are said to be circling the facility, which will presumably remain closed for an indefinite period of time.

Agriprocessors…

… which is owned by the Rubashkin family of Chabad hasidim, produces the Aaron's Best, Rubashkin, Shor HaBor, Supre Kosher, David's and other glatt kosher and kosher meat and poultry brands.

UPDATE 11:30 am – The Des Moines Register is now online with a story predicting "hundreds of arrests":

Poststville, Ia. – Federal agents descended upon this northeast Iowa community at about 10 a.m. today to conduct an immigration raid at a meat-packing plant.

Agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement entered Agriprocessors Inc. in Postville to execute a criminal search warrant for evidence relating to aggravated identity theft, fraudulent use of Social Security numbers and other crimes, said Tim Counts, a Midwest ICE spokesman.

Agents are also executing a civil search warrant for people illegally in the United States, he said.

Representatives of Iowa’s congressional offices said they have been told by federal officials that hundreds of arrests are expected.

A helicopter hovered over the scene, and a number of agents formed a perimeter around the Agriprocessors facility. Vehicles from ICE and at least eight cars and vans from the Iowa State Patrol were at the plant. There were also reports of two moving vans at the scene, along with an ambulance and two black Chevrolet Suburbans.

Counts declined to confirm where people who are arrested will be detained. Federal officials have leased the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo, but they declined to explain last week whether the property was being prepared for use as a detention center.

Counts said that each person being arrested would be questioned by ICE and by Public Health Service medical professionals to determine if they have humanitarian issues, including child care giver or medical issues.

“Those interviews will aid ICE in determining whether people will be detained or conditionally released on humanitarian grounds, pending their immigration court appearance,” Counts said.

Counts described the events in Postville as a “single site operation.” He said he was not aware of any other immigration raids being conducted elsewhere today.

Aides to U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, a Waterloo Democrat, said they have been told that "hundreds" of arrests are expected because the action is more of an "investigation" than an immigration raid, and specific individuals are being targeted for arrest as part of the investigation.

Jeff Giertz, a spokesman for Braley, said immigration officials left the impression that the Cattle Congress site will be used mainly for processing of suspects rather than any long-term detention.

Postville Police Chief Michael Halse said he did not know anything about the raid until 10 a.m. today.

Iowa Department of Public Safety officials referred all questions to federal authorities. A news conference is scheduled at 2 p.m. today at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cedar Rapids.…

UPDATE 12:50 pm – A well-placed source tells me this raid is the largest ever in ICE history. 500 federal agents are said to be participating.

He also tells me local schools are being raided on suspicion children are employed at the plant.

Comments

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

Will anyone named Rubashkin end up in prison over this?

[Kishkeman]

I found this about the raid on the Des Moines newspaper website. http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080512/NEWS/80512012

[Shmarya]

That's the story I already have posted.

[steve]

which will presumably remain closed for an indefinite period of time

Hopefully closed for good.

[John K. Diamond]

PRAISE HASHEM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[one of many]

Yes Praise Hashem!
Tzedek Tzedek tirdof
Deutoronomy 16:20
B'erat Hashem
Peace!
Thank you Shamarya for the wonderful posting!
Keep up the good work!

lick your chops

[Richard Schwartz]

Yes, praise Hashem.

But, if we want to imitate Hashem's aspects of mercy and compassion, why are we not advocating that all slaughterhouses be closed, since so many of Hashem's defenseless creatures are slaughtered there, after living miserable lives on factory farms?

Why is the Jewish community generally ignoring that the production and consumption of meat and other animal products violate basic Jewish mandates that we take care of our health, treat animals with compassion, preserve the environment, conserve natural rsoiurces and help hungry people.

Would hashem want us to have a diet that is so harmful to our health, mistreats billions of farmed animals, contributes greatly to global warming and other environmental threats, wastefully uses land, energy, water and other resources and much more?

So yes, praise Hashem, certainly, but, even better, work to apply G-d's teachings toward a more just, compassionate, healthy, environmentally sustainable world.

[S. Morgan]

Just another example that agribusiness' corruption and cruelty knows no bounds.

[Lionel Friedberg]

Professor Schwartz is, as always, quite right. His magnificent leadership and example is a beacon unto us all. What a pity that there is so much resistance in the Jewish community to his message. Is it perhaps that so many of those narrow-minded so-called 'religious' Jews deem it convenient to ignore the profound truths that come with a spirit of mercy and compassion? Does it mean that we have to reach too high? Have we not learned anything from history and from our own tortured past? To apply values that respect life -- ALL life -- would mean shattering jealously-guarded and archaic habits. Many find that difficult. It is perhaps easier to hide behind misguided interpretations of the Torah and to cling to practices from which we should have long ago moved away from. Do we not fully comprehend the story of the fall of man and the passages about Noah and the survival after the flood that are so eloquently portrayed in Genesis? The mere fact that the Jewish community can condone the existence of the cruel and blood-soaked Rubashkin empire is an endictement against us all. There should be an outcry against this outrage, this filthy commercial enterprise that rests upon the agony and abuse of untold numbers of innocent creatures who suffer unspeakably to satisfy our lust for dead flesh. WHERE ARE THE VOICES OF CRITICISM? THE SILENCE FROM THE JEWISH COMMUNITY IS DEAFENING!

[PETA = People Eating Tasty Animals]

Sorry, Lionel, did you say something?

[Zalman Alpert]

By the time the smoke clears, kosher meat in the US will retail for prices along the same line as fuel.
Isn'tit time that the OU stepped to the plate and pulled its supervision from Rubashkin. The kashruth division under its leader will never do it as it curries favoor with the Charedim, but lets hope that Rabbi Weil or Weinreb do the job.

[Prof . Schwartz is Right!]

I'm switching to a vegan diet.

No more rib steaks for me.
No more southern fried chicken
No more veal ribs
No More corn beef
No more pastrami
No more hot dogs
No more juicy lamb chops
No more fresh hot buffalo wings
No more chopped liver with eggs and onions
No more burgers with those sweet sauteed onions, dripping into every bite of that ground beef, for which an innocent cow gave its life

Oy, this whole topic is getting me pretty hungry. Anybody care to join me at Kosher Delight on 13th Avenue?

Maybe I'll start the vegan thing after I've had a decent supper.

Besides, to what higher purpose could the innocent cow have given its life? Shoe leather?

[one of many]

Someone said something I believe to be true.
If you can lie, you can cheat,
if you can cheat, you can steal
if you can steal you can commit murder!
seems like Agri did all the above.
One sin turns into many more when not repentant! Agri Proccesors proved it today!
{by the way i believe as Morrisey sang it best "meat is murder" }
Thanks for the post Shmarya

[rabbidw]

When I was at Brach's I asked if there were anyn suppliers for Glatt meat excepy Rubashkin. I then spoke to someone I know who is on the Vaad of the 5 towns. I told him that IMHO the vaad ought to send their own delegation to see what is going on as I think there is going to be a scandal. Well, here is the scandal. Maybe if the local vaad's refuse to accept Rubashkin things might work up to the national groups.

[one of many]

yes! and all others as well!
G_d is deffinitly not with Rubashkin and Agri Processor or these things would not happen!
Things happen for a reason and the truth is bound to be known sooner or later
Next things you'll hear is that meat from this plant is contaminated with E-Coli, or perhps thats why this has happened another warning sign
before it becomes reported that the beef could be infected with E-Coli
It has been reported in Canada last week tons of beef were recalled contaminated with e-coli May 3, 2008
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/05/03/beef-recall.html?ref=rss

and eariler this year, Feb. 1, 2006, at Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing, based in Chino, Calif the largest recall ever of beef 143 million pounds!!
They were shut down.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2008-02-17-slaughterhouse-recall_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
only 2.2 million pounds were actually recalled or brought back.

really if we think about it, do we want this to happen to us, and our children?
These are the signs
We have to choose what is right so that we may live.
Whats worse is the fact that when the nations do these things, its bad, but when its G_ds choosen people, its really bad!!
because they are supposed to be A light unto the nations, a leader spiritual guiders for all to follow, but when the leaders are worse then the others??
There must be an accounting for.
Repentance is in order then forgivness can follow.
We need to make a change before
its too late
and i know we can!!
G_d bless!
Peace

Is this a coincidence?
I dont think so.

[C-Girl]

rabbidw, maybe there's more hope for that possibility now that the price of kosher meat is likely to increase. It's hard to incite a revolution when the peasants are happy.

[Nigritude Ultramarine]

“Source 1” told federal agents that some employees were running a methamphetamine lab in the plant, and were bringing weapons to work. The supervisor confronted a higher-level manager about the drugs, and shortly after was fired.

Rugs?!Ruh-roh!

[HSD]

congratulations Shmarya. You must be cracking open the champagne right now.

All politics aside, if Rubashkin was hiring illegals and children to work in his plant he deserves what is coming to him.

If the owners of the plant are so unscrupulous then how does the community accept that his meat is kosher?

[Rina Deych]

Thank you for posting this very important article. I agree with the commentary of Dr. Schwartz.

Peas,

Rina
Veganism is the ultimate kashruth.

[mg]

"Yes Praise Hashem!
Tzedek Tzedek tirdof"

just note, of course, that as bad as being employed at rubashkins probably is for undocumented immigrants, being deported is probably worse (otherwise, they would self-deport). the immigration laws are more inclined to punish individual violators (who can't vote) than employers (who can, and do). So this is a mixed blessing, at best...

Thank you for posting this very important article. I agree with the commentary of Dr. Schwartz.

Peas,

Rina
Veganism is the ultimate kashruth.

Posted by: Rina Deych | May 12, 2008 at 08:34 PM

What a sick world we live in. Fools who can't read hebrew re-writing shulchan aruch.

Sheching an animal properly is the ultimate in kashrus.

[Yochanan Lavie]

MG: The unofficial motto of the Jewish Community seems to be: Kesef kesef tirdof. (Not that the Torah wants it that way). We need nevi'im, now.

[yidandahalf]

YL, do you think their are any nevi'im now? I think there are. How come we can't hear them in this day and age?

[Yochanan Lavie]

Good questions which I can't answer, Yid 1/2,