Guatemalan Families Reunite In Postville

26 family members from Guatemala were reunited with 8 former Agriprocessors workers whom they had not seen in years. Many of the travelers were children whose mothers left Guatemala several years ago to earn money in Postville to send back to their hungry families. Some were parents or siblings of former underage teen workers.

Guatemalan families reunite in Iowa
By Carol Hoverman • National Catholic Reporter

POSTVILLE, IOWA -- The sign on the bus traveling from the Chicago O’Hare International Airport to Postville on slippery roads Dec. 4 said “SPECIAL.” That was an understatement.

When the bus pulled up in front of St. Bridget Church in Postville at 8:45 a.m., it delivered the best Christmas gift anyone could wish for -- 26 family members from Guatemala coming to be reunited with eight former Agriprocessors workers whom they had not seen in years.

Many of the travelers were children whose mothers left Guatemala several years ago to earn money in Postville to send back to their hungry families. Some were parents or siblings of former underage teen workers.

“It was a very emotional moment,” said Mary McCauley, a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who was among those who met the bus. “Seeing their faces as they recognized loved ones was indescribable!”

McCauley was pastoral administrator at the Postville parish at the time of the largest immigration raid in U.S. history at the Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant on May 12, 2008.

The three young children of Isabel Amparo looked worried as their mother still hadn’t arrived. She works at a dairy farm near Farley, a few hours away, and the icy roads delayed her meeting the bus.

Although it was 73 degrees when the group left Guatemala, the warmth of the ecstatic welcomes overshadowed the contrasting frigid Iowa temperature and the 7.1 inches of snow on the ground in Postville.

The group was soon ushered inside the warm church hall, where a large crowd had gathered.

After a rousing welcome, there was a short time for prayers of gratitude. McCauley recalled the tears that flowed in that room the day of the raid in 2008. “Now this room is filled with tears for a very different reason,” she said.

Pastor David Vasquez of Luther College in Decorah invited one of the immigrants to also say a few words.

In a phone interview, Vasquez summarized the message of Federico Solvi, 56, who stepped forward to represent the group.

“[Solvi] said the newcomers were so appreciative of the efforts of those who made their coming to the U.S. possible,” Vasquez recalled. “Loosely translated, [Solvi] thanked those ‘whose hearts are so large they do not fit into their chests.’

“He also challenged the newcomers to take advantage of the opportunities they now have, to advocate not just for themselves, but to join in the struggle for justice.”

Vasquez reported that Solvi said the decision to come was bittersweet, as it meant leaving other family members in Guatemala. But the political and economic situation in the country is so bad that this move gives the families a chance for a new life for their children. “People are dying from hunger in Guatemala,” Solvi said.

The reunion was the culmination of months of legal work headed by Sonia Parras Konrad, a Des Moines immigration lawyer who engaged in hours of pro bono work representing many of the families. She went to Postville shortly after the raid and documented the criminal mistreatment workers had endured under the former Agriprocessors administration.

These immigrant workers, who later cooperated with the federal investigation, were now eligible to apply for a U visa -- a relatively new immigration document. The U visa is available when it is proven that an individual has experienced substantial physical and mental abuse as a result of a criminal violation. It is a strict program that allows those who have been victims of certain crimes to stay in the United States and to legally bring immediate family members to this country to apply for temporary legal status. The U visa allows immigrants to stay and work in the United States for up to four years, according to www.usimmigrationsupport.org [4]. If conditions are met in the future, those with the visas and their family members can eventually pursue the path to U.S. citizenship.

Parras Konrad worked for months with the Guatemalan Consulate to apply for these visas, which were a “nightmare of paperwork and hard to get,” she was quoted as saying in a Dec. 5 Des Moines Register article.

Although this was a happy day for eight families, McCauley said there were 389 arrested the day of the raid. Most of them were rushed through mass court proceedings at the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo, jailed for five months and deported to Guatemala and Mexico without the benefit of legal counsel.

Financial support for the legal and travel expenses for the reunions came from various sources, notably the religious communities in the Region X Leadership Conference of Women Religious and from the loan fund established by the Decorah Area Faith Coalition. Luther College also arranged for the bus transportation from Chicago.

[Franciscan Sr. Carol Hoverman is editor of The Witness, newspaper of the Dubuque, Iowa, archdiocese.]

[Hat Tip: The Other DK.]

Comments

[ah-pee-chorus]

gee, i wonder which is a more noble cause....those that worked tirelessly and raised and donated money so that these mistreated workers could eat, have shelter, and eventually re-unite with their loved ones....or...raising money so the criminal who caused much harm to so many can appeal his sentence.

the churches and those that worked with them, and collaborated in their efforts to feed and house the former agri workers should hold their heads high.
if the pidyon shvuyim funds would have allocated half the money raised to care for the victims, they could have at least given the appearance of caring for humanity and could have made a strong statement that this is what jews do to help people. but of course, helping non jews, or even non-haredi jews does not appear on their list of "good things we must do".
how much goodwill could have been generated if $1,000,000 of the funds raised went to caring for the victims and their loved ones? instead the money goes to well paid lawyers and mouthpieces who can attack the criminal justice system and sprinkle in a few cries of anti-semitism.
a whole new meaning to tikkun olam.

[Menachem Mendel lll]

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
-Matthew 6:13

The frum Jews who received cash 'o plenty and kickbacks from the convicted criminal element "Rabbi" Rubashikin can learn a thing or 2 about righteousness and evil from the goyish bible becase clearly the Torah, Gemmarah, Tanya and Shulchan Aruch is not working for them.

Moshiach Uber Alles

[Yochanan Lavie]

MM3: They already learned something from the goyish bible- a dead messiah.

[Menachem Mendel lll]

Yochanan Lavie,

A Toyt Moshiach Uber Alles!

[Riverdaleapikorus]

ah-pee-chorus- you are right on!

[A E ANDERSON]

Nice place for the Papists to continue their anti-Jewish diatribe, in the pages of the National Catholic Rag!

I say the Rubashkins did more for these illegal aliens than the Catholics ever did: the Rubashkins offered them self-respect with paid employment. And the Roman Catholics? Handouts and charity! Not to mention that the Catholics were party to the anti-Rubashkin lynch mob, along with Organised Labour and the animal rights kooks, that lost these folks their self-respecting employment in the first place!

This is the anti-Semitism of the New Left as it has evolved from the 60s to our time. Jews are fat, bourgeois exploiters of Third World labour and should be chastised by radical priests humming the Internationale and Sandinista solidarity songs.

Funny thing, these Guatamalans braved hell, high water and ICE just to get to Postville to work for the Rubashkins, whose regular pay checks they probably recall by now with fond nostalgia.

So, did the labour activists and the Papist organisers do these Guatamalans a good turn by riling them up with union claptrap, and then joining the lynch mob that only served to amplify the case being made by Rubashkin's enemies, denouncing them to the authorities?

I'm not so sure.

[shame on rubashkins]

the guatemalans came back as winners .
rubashkin is gone , so are his family, their house and their plant .

[sad but true]

the church helped the guatemalans come back to postville dec 2010 .

after the trial and all the shit went through.

the guatemalans could not have come back into the country on their own .

[ruthie]

i'm so happy for the guatemalans

[Caring Jew]

Anderson,
You're truth a light in the darkness of this website

[Caring Jew]

Your

[Shmuely]

I would be happier for the Guatemalans if they were imported to Monsey, or Lakewood, of 777 where those that love them and want to care for them (like the posters on this website) could take them into their homes and share that good ol' Tikkun Olam.

As it is, they are being dumped on the taxpayers of Postville, who (stupid goyishekopfs!) somehow thought the jobs the Orthodox said they would create in Postville were for them.

The next time the orthodox run thisscam itisn't going to go down quite as easy, however. Gentiles are stupid, yes, but when you take a f*cking as bad as Postville took from the Tribe, word gets around.

[Shmarya]

Posted by: A E ANDERSON | Miami, Fla. 33131 | December 21, 2010 at 02:04 PM

The Rubashkins paid them at or below minimum wage – $6 per hour less than other mat plants in the region paid their workers – and then shorted the Guatemalan workers' paychecks and made them work overtime without paying them for it.

Agriprocessors supervisors extorted sexual favors from them.

Another supervisor extorted money and sexual favors. Rubashkin helped him flee to Israel.

They worked in conditions more dangerous than the average meat plant, with a boss, Sholom Rubashkin, who refused to improve safety conditions or stop his supervisors abuses.

The Rubashkins did not care about those Guatemalan workers. The Rubashkins did not hore them to help them – the Rubashkins hired them to exploit them.

The Catholic Church cleaned up after the mess the Rubashkins created.

Of course, you know all this to be true. But the truth doesn't fit with your sick, twisted fantasy, so you toss the truth aside.

You are a truly sick man.

[Caring Jew]

Shmarya,
I've been browsing around your site. Noticed your complaints about the Rebbe's letter. Looked that up. Loved the letter. Got excited over his intuitiveness like an extra sense. Such is a Rebbe. He saw right through you.

You had no genuine compassion for ethiopians. You're one big charade.
It's not possible that you have no feelings for rubashkin's little children and the harm that you caused them, but felt for ethioians. You have no heart.I've figured out the following: The Iowan beasts were embrazened and enzealed by the Jewish vilification of rubashkin that was generated by you through this site (hence the shackles, etc.) The backlash that occured had been surprising to them, i know this firsthand as a fact.

Lehavdil, similar to the way Nazis were emboldened when they felt confident of world approval.

Your Ethiopian agenda: probably a campaign to show off to goyim that Jews are colorblind

[Shmarya]

Posted by: Caring Jew | December 21, 2010 at 05:22 PM

It's good to know you're still off your meds.

[Caring Jew]

When you act like that, you're like a child avoiding the topic

[Shmarya]

Posted by: Caring Jew | December 21, 2010 at 05:33 PM

Please.

You're a lying, delusional person. Where are you posting from today? Prague?

[Caring Jew]

You're non convincing anyone that I'm a lying delusional person, not even yourself.

Also off topic

[Shmarya]

Please.

Previously you lied about where you were and I'd like to hear you tell me where you are now.

So, where are you?

[Caring Jew]

Leaving Now to a wedding. Hope to stay there briefly. I'll check back in later

[Shmarya]

Leaving Now to a wedding. Hope to stay there briefly. I'll check back in later

In other words, you can't answer my question without lying.

[Caring Jew]

You're supposed to be able to figure that out. Once and for all, I tell the truth about 99.9% of the time. You won't catch me lying, so give up on that

Also off topic

[Shmarya]

You're lying.

Now answer the question. Where are you right now?

[effie]

You're non convincing anyone that I'm a lying delusional person, not even yourself.

Correct. Your own crazy comments have convinced us that you are a lying and delusional person, CJ. Get lost, toots!

[Caring Jew]

I really need to go, but like everyone else, my identity has to be hidden for security.

Please go back on topic and I'll follow up later

[Shmarya]

I really need to go, but like everyone else, my identity has to be hidden for security.

Please.

You're a lying, delusion person.

Now answer the question now: Where are you posting from?

[Caring Jew]

Therefore I had no problem telling you when I was at JFK, but now that I'm home, I'm mum

[Caring Jew]

Effie,
You're soooo not convinced, but speak for yourself anyway

[Shmarya]

You were not in JFK.

Now, where's home?

[Caring Jew]

Here's the deal:

When you make an effort at amends to the rubashkin's, I'll retell you everything about me

[Caring Jew]

Tell (my iPad is hyperactive)

[Shmarya]

Here's the deal:

When you make an effort at amends to the rubashkin's, I'll retell you everything about me

Please.

Where are you posting from?

[Caring Jew]

If I don't make it to the chuppah, then I'll get stuck at that wedding. I made my offer

[Shmarya]

I made my offer

You're in no position to impose a deal.

You lied. You got caught. And now you're lying again.

And that means you are banned.

[Menachem Mendel lll]

"G-D GAVE TORAH TO ISRAEL IN ORDER THAT THEY SHOULD BRING IT TO THE NATIONS"*

Now that "we" succeed "we" can piss on innocent and defenceless destitute men, women and children who are searching for a better life.

It's OK for "us" to use them, exploit them and rob them of their dignity and self respect.

Because....the goyim of the velt will right the wrongs that "we" have committed against our fellow man.

I feel personally responsible for what my Jewish criminal element "Rabbi" brother Sholom Rubashkin did and continues to deny since he is considered to be my Jewish
"brother" or so I was taught in school.

Got helfn undz.

*Source
Tanhuma Dt. 2. Buber edition Dt p. 2; Midrash Tanhuma Hamfo’ar vol. 2, Jerusalem 5754 p. 250; cf. Testament of Levi 14:4.

[Riverdaleapikorus]

I think Caring Jew is on the Rubashkin payroll-Hell she or he is probably a Chabadnik. As for AE Anderson- this man is a first class perv

[WoolSilkCotton]

++And that means you are banned.

Posted by: Shmarya | December 21, 2010 at 06:05 PM++

Wow! Caring Jew lasted all of 4 days here. Must be a record. I'm surprised he lasted past motzei Shabbos.

[Moshe Aron Kesetnbaum, Williamsburg ODA]

The papistas, Cheetahs,and whores are back in postville . But papista your to late. there are no more procuring customers left in town. All the johns are gone

[Yochanan Lavie]

Apologies to MJ:

[1st Verse]
They told him don't you ever post around here
Don't wanna hear your lies, you better disappear
Shmarya's pissed off and his words are really clear
So Ban him, Just Ban him

[2nd Verse]
You better pun you better do what you can
Don't wanna see no bull, don't be a black hat fan
You wanna be frum, better go while you can
So ban him, but you wanna be Chabad

[Chorus]
Just Ban 'em, Ban 'em, Ban 'em, Ban 'em
No One Wants Rubashkin's fans
Showin' how f*cked up wrong is the fight
It doesn't matter if he sees the light
Just Ban 'em, Ban 'em 4x

[3rd Verse]
Like the late Archie, better leave while you can
Don't wanna be a Goy, you be a Jewish man
Don't wanna hear your jive, better go while you can
So Ban him, just Ban him

[4th Verse]
You have to show us that your facts are all there
You're playin' with this blog, we've got some sharp ones here
They'll refute you, then defeat you,
Like the Harold affair
So Ban him, but you wanna be Chabad

[Chorus]6x

Ban 'em, Ban 'em, Ban 'em

[A E ANDERSON]

Yes, there were problem at Agriprocessors. There are problems at every workplace. I am troubled by the allegations that Agriprocessors paid less than the minimum wage, as I am troubled by the allegations of sexual favours being demanded by supervisors. Perhaps, as you mention, these misdeeds were the result of greedy Agriprocessors supervisors (like the ones who absconded to Israel and elsewhere) on the take.

I am just not prepared to accept that Sholom Rubashkin is the terrible person his enemies make him out to be here. I think the much of what was alleged to have happened at Agrirprocessors probably happened, but that it has totally been magnified out of proportion and context, and the blame for all laid squarely but unfairly at the feet of Sholom Rubashkin, who is now paying for their sins.

I confirm my earlier comments that the Roman Catholics are using the unfortunate affair as a way of putting Jews down and self-aggrandising themselves and their assumed posture as doers of good works, cleaning up after the foul Jews.

Why have they singled out Postville to brag and trumpet their self-righteousness? Surely there are devotees of the See of Peter suffering in myriad other places around the world that do not rise to the dignity of a mention in the National Catholic Reporter!

Maybe if they had really cared for their co-religionists in the first place, they would have stayed put in Guatemala or wherever, and would not have needed to become downtrodden economic migrants dodging police, dogs and randy floor bosses just to bring home the tocino

[Shmarya]

Rubashkin did what he did and ignored what he ignored.

Is he as bad as some make him out to be?

Of course not.

But he's no choirboy and he is not innocent.

As for the Church, it helps people all over the world. Postville is one of those places.

That one article appears in a Catholic newspaper talking about what the Church (and other non-Catholic churches) did to help these poor people is not antisemitism – especially when nothing was stopping Orthodox Jews from helping. But of course, our Orthodox organizations did nothing.

[effie]

Effie, You're soooo not convinced, but speak for yourself anyway

Indeed I am soooooo convinced. And judging by the comments, except for a few of your fellow tools, they are, too.

[AS]

How can anyone piss and moan that Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, or even Satanists came to the rescue of these poor people? We should rejoice that all of humanity is not so broken and infected with the sepsis of evil that someone, anyone, came to their aid.

Anyone here whose main interest in this story is to see how his/her own "group" fared in the coverage is beneath contempt.

Try running this over in your mind:

"...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee."

Jewish scholars from centuries ago are responsible for creating and nurturing the foundations of what we know now as "human rights." They would scream their heads off in outrage and heap appropriate shame and scorn on this "man" and his supporters.