…Samir Jaylani, 21, gathered with other Somali refugees newly arrived from the Minneapolis area to take jobs at the plant, which is trying to rebuild its workforce after losing about half of its staff in the immigration raid. But Agriprocessors is having a hard time keeping new arrivals on the job. Jaylani quit after…
…one day processing turkeys. "I didn't get trained enough," he says. "It was highly dangerous equipment. I wouldn't take the chance of cutting my hand off."
Around the corner, dozens of people — many of them current and former Agriprocessors … — lined up for free canned and packaged goods at Postville's weekly food pantry. "I haven't seen a paycheck over $100 and it's my fifth week," says Darrell Hawkins, 46, a former forklift operator from Kentucky now working a "gutter" at Agriprocessors. (He removes turkey giblets.)…
…Churches that had stepped up to provide basic needs for those left unable to work or to leave after the raid are now hard-pressed to help new arrivals who bring little with them and need help with everything from medical care to bus tickets home. Some of the new arrivals complain of having been lured here by false promises, finding lower pay than expected, high rent, poor housing and harsh work conditions.
"We're just trying to get out of Postville," says Marcus Valdez, 39, who arrived from Texas with his pregnant wife and two young children but left Agriprocessors after five weeks. During his time there, he says he injured his forearm and his eye was infected by turkey innards.…
In an Iowa town, a Kosher Meat Plant Struggles to Recover
In an Iowa town, a Kosher Meat Plant Struggles to Recover-TIME.pdf