MOUNT PLEASANT – Late last week, federal immigration enforcers went to a concrete plant in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and arrested nearly three dozen people, drawing a mixed reaction.
The raid took place on May 10 in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, at MPC Enterprises. As many as 32 people were arrested at the concrete plant. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) say those arrested were in the country illegally. Reportedly, there was a vigil held in the community soon afterward for those arrested, the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, said in a statement. They said other demonstrations were held around the state, including Des Moines.
“This raid is devastating for the people who were detained, their families, and the entire community,” said Erica Johnson, Immigrant Rights Program Director for the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) in Iowa. “ICE is sowing fear in our communities, breaking apart families, and hurting the local economy. Shame on local law enforcement for colluding with ICE to let this happen.” AFSC is a Quaker organization that has worked for immigrant and refugee rights for almost a century, and is on the ground in Mount Pleasant helping to mitigate the raid’s impacts.
The raid occurred just three days before the ten-year anniversary of the Postville raid, the largest immigration raid in Iowa’s history, where 389 workers were arrested. “It is a bitter irony that 10 years after Postville, Iowa is still being used as a staging ground for dangerous and destructive enforcement actions,” said Johnson. “We need ICE out of our communities.”
The AFL-CIO said that attendees at the vigil demanded that all those who were arrested be released on bond as soon as possible, that they have access to appropriate legal council, and that due process is respected. The vigil is being organized by IowaWINS, an organization based out of the First Presbyterian Church in Mount Pleasant. The Church has served as a sanctuary and an organizing hub for those coming together to respond to the raids.
Lance Coles, Communications Director for the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, said, “We live in a world that is rigged against workers, no matter race, religion, or immigration status. While politicians at every level have sought to exploit this issue – The Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO is worried about the Mount Pleasant families who do not know where their loved ones were taken and have been unable to contact them. The race to the bottom for wages and working standards is a battle, worsened by those that would exploit and retaliate against immigrant workers. Every single worker suffers when millions struggle but have no way to speak up on the job, and we worry that making workplaces spaces of fear will only increase the exploitation and suffering of our fellow workers. Instead of deporting people, we should ensure that all workers have rights on the job – and can exercise them without being retaliated against.”
Meanwhile, Iowa Congressman Steve King said he supports the ICE raids and the need for deportations. King also advocates for the need to effectively enforce our border laws, and to put unemployed Americans to work in the jobs taken by illegal aliens.
“We should be putting Americans to work instead of paying them welfare. Everyone that you can get off welfare and put to work, you get a two-fer. This is what the public has asked for,” says King.
According to Steve King, KCCI, an Iowa TV station, interviewed Iowans to ask for their views on King’s positions. The station’s conclusion, King says is that “Iowans that we spoke with agreed with him.”
Details from workers is the low paying bums bused in a large group of foreigners to fill chit paying jobs at Winnebago – Forest City.Ia – no IF and or BUTTS about it .
You do know Winnebago just bused in a large group – I believe Filipinos to work there – like the low paid/do anything worker over American citizen they would have to pay a decent wage to – taxpayers in that county will bear the costs of low income housing etc . Just swell – screw over the American workers for your fat cat owners – you think they really give a hoot about local workers. Must have a good pull to import workers for their greed.
If you have more details on the matter, write the white house and ask the President why he doesn’t stop it! Make sure you also forward the mail to Winnebago. Trust me, its not just a symbolic protest – they do NOT want the spotlight on their hiring practices.
I like this King – Trump guy – finally the OBama era bullcrap is over – the law is the law and illegal is ILLEGAL- go home and apply the right way – Just cheap labor for the crony elite.
It’s NOT ok to be here illegally !! Wages would go way up if we ended illegal immigration!!!
There is a special place in hell for those who argue that Americans workers benefits when illegal workers are protected instead of deported.
Give just a fraction of the assistance to Americans and Legal workers as you do for illegals and those jobs will be filled with legal workers.
If hiring low wage illegals is part of your business plan, maybe some serious penalties would change your plan.
How can you come into this country illegally, and have rights. That’s a slap in the face to all those that came here legally and assimilated. Put legal American citizens to work first. Our government needs to put the business owners that hire these illegals in prison, one month for every illegal caught working.
The rights that you say apply only to Americans apply to everybody who is in this country. Any person, regardless of nationality, charged with a crime has rights guaranteed by the Constitution. That what ‘Justice for al’l means.
Wrong. The Constitution does not guarantee rights in the workplace to illegals without right to work.. They’ll get their rights in court, right before we deport their a**es
32 arrests, all for being in the country illegally? What about to the “Americans” who hired them? The entire HR department should have been lined up in front of a firing squad for high treason. So sick of seeing the peons taking the fall while the profiteers walk!
Excellent point.
Those who profit from or promote illegal immigration have blood on their hands. Hundreds die every year trying to cross the southern desert. More die while being transported, like those who died in semi from Iowa.
That would be you know who, and most every lib in the country.
the president hires lots of immigrants to work his resorts.
Are they here legally?
You know who “promotes Illegal immigration”.
There are many thousands of homeless Americans who would love a job. Recruit people from homeless shelter or even the streets. West coast cities are overwhelmed by homeless.