Anyone who has doubts that this country is abusing and terrorizing undocumented immigrant workers should read an essay by Erik Camayd-Freixas, a professor and Spanish-language court interpreter who witnessed the aftermath of a huge immigration workplace raid at a meatpacking plant in Iowa.
The essay chillingly describes what Dr. Camayd-Freixas saw and heard as he translated for some of the nearly 400 undocumented workers who were seized by federal agents at the Agriprocessors kosher plant in Postville in May.
NY Times Op-Ed: The Shame of Postville, Iowa
Anyone who has doubts that this country is abusing and terrorizing undocumented immigrant workers should read an essay by Erik Camayd-Freixas, a professor and Spanish-language court interpreter who witnessed the aftermath of a huge immigration workplace raid at a meatpacking plant in Iowa.
The essay chillingly describes what Dr. Camayd-Freixas saw and heard as he translated for some of the nearly 400 undocumented workers who were seized by federal agents at the Agriprocessors kosher plant in Postville in May.
Under the old way of doing things, the workers, nearly all Guatemalans, would have been simply and swiftly deported. But in a twist of Dickensian cruelty, more than 260 were charged as serious criminals for using false Social Security numbers or residency papers, and most were sentenced to five months in prison.
What is worse, Dr. Camayd-Freixas wrote, is that the system was clearly rigged for the wholesale imposition of mass guilt. He said the court-appointed lawyers had little time in the raids’ hectic aftermath to meet with the workers, many of whom ended up waiving their rights and seemed not to understand the complicated charges against them.
Dr. Camayd-Freixas’s essay describes “the saddest procession I have ever witnessed, which the public would never see” — because cameras were forbidden.
“Driven single-file in groups of 10, shackled at the wrists, waist and ankles, chains dragging as they shuffled through, the slaughterhouse workers were brought in for arraignment, sat and listened through headsets to the interpreted initial appearance, before marching out again to be bused to different county jails, only to make room for the next row of 10.”
He wrote that they had waived their rights in hopes of being quickly deported, “since they had families to support back home.” He said that they did not understand the charges they faced, adding, “and, frankly, neither could I.”
No one is denying that the workers were on the wrong side of the law. But there is a profound difference between stealing people’s identities to rob them of money and property, and using false papers to merely get a job. It is a distinction that the Bush administration, goaded by immigration extremists, has willfully ignored. Deporting unauthorized workers is one thing; sending desperate breadwinners to prison, and their families deeper into poverty, is another.
Court interpreters are normally impartial participants and keep their opinions to themselves. But Dr. Camayd-Freixas, a professor of Spanish at Florida International University, said he was so offended by the cruelty of the prosecutions that he felt compelled to break his silence. “A line was crossed at Postville,” he wrote.
CN
Lucky for the government the Statue of Liberty isn’t in IOWA.
Yossi @ YossTek
Is it just me or does it sound like Dr. Camayd-Freixas is PRO-Agriprocessors?
He mentions that they are desperate breadwinners being sent to prison. In other words it sounds to me as if he thinks that Agri was doing something good by employing them.
I guess I am just shocked because you don’t see “positive” articles about Agri very often, so Shkoyach. :-)
how sad
I think this is sad. I didn’t really pay attention to what happened. After reading this I feel very sorry for those families. I think if people are willing to hire them, they should help them.
Michael Savage fan
What exactly is the purpose in publicizing this liberal article? The author’s views are so slanted and anti-American, I laughed at most of the article. If anyone deserves our pity, it is the author of this article and anyone who shares his views for they must obviously suffer from some sort of mental disorder.
Sara
Finally, someone in the secular media is looking at this fiasco in the right light. The government and activists have taken advantage of these current events to make a spectacle of shechita and the workers who benefited from the jobs at Agri.
Izzy Berkowitz
you know the famous saying “ if you dont have the time dont commit the crime”
to bad & this Prof. has no right to tell the GOV. how to treat Law Breakers & the next thing is i am going to steal your license & say whats the big deal.
I understand you stick up for Agri & yes I eat his products, but he has no right breaking the law shame on him for doing this to this country & just wondering what they would do to him in Russia.
boruch hoffinger
B“H
”…and using false papers to merely get a job..”
If it was the dr’s. job that was lost I don’t think he’d be very understanding
A non-Jew, bidieved, who steals (takes a job, breaks the law) his chaiv mita acc. to Rambam.
Dr. Camayd-Freixas is giving a typicle goyish response: blame whitey, the govt. Without tough laws people would swallow ea. other alive, jobs included.
All of the Guatemalans’ papers could have been cleverly forged by an expert. Today, with computers and scanners, one can do amazing things.
Dr. Camayd-Freixas should be wearing diapers and sucking his thumb — such a whiner!
shame on all the jewish writers
shame on all the jewish writers
it took a spanish profesor to see the real story of anti emigrants and anti
jewish shchita.
even our own sham on all of you standing on the sidelines and seeing your brothers blood spill all over the land of the free our own america.
it seem like realy guys like this stood in the geto and looked how other jews are being slaughter .
about time that everyone in america stend up and ask the ice what are thy doing in the land of the free and the name of america ?
and all jews should support jews becouse no one will do it for you .
Pure Organized Rishus
2 eazy targets that win you votes: Prosequte Jews and Illegals. If they can get an illegal jew … its party time. Now it shows the law is fair. Violent criminals they will get to later. That’s no big deal.
chaim
Yes he does have the right to tell the government what to do. they dont have to listen though.
feeling bad for people in trouble is one thing but feeling sorry for people that knowingly continue to break the law is another level.
I have no problem with Rubashkin abusing his workers and killing the animals as he did, just don’t get caught because then we all look bad.
I am currently on Merkos Shlichus and met an individual who said “I am embarrassed to be associated with people like that.” Referring to Rubashkan.
chaim
Yes he does have the right to tell the government what to do. they dont have to listen though.
feeling bad for people in trouble is one thing but feeling sorry for people that knowingly continue to break the law is another level.
I have no problem with Rubashkin abusing his workers and killing the animals as he did, just don’t get caught because then we all look bad.
I am currently on Merkos Shlichus and met an individual who said “I am embarrassed to be associated with people like that.” Referring to Rubashkan.
Boruch ben Tzvi A H HaKohaine Hoffinger
B“H
To all you idiot, arrogant, anti-Lubavitch pashkvil writers (those who write defamatory things against a Jew w/o a full name).
Read the 4th paragraph in my previous comment.
Dear Izzy Berkowitz at least you had the courage to write your name in your madness.
Imagine if Dovid HaMelech was like all you (Too many!) cowardly pashkvilers! What would Tehillim sound like?
REMEMBER FOOLS THE REBBE, MH”M H A T E D PASHKVILS! The Rebbe loved Jews and, like a father, wanted to protect them! That’s why you are NOT Lubavitchers; not even a little!
If one tramples on a basic tenet of our Rebbe, you exclude yourself from Lubavitch and all it’s impressive, profound and amazing history!
You can daven 10 times a day, put on $3,000 Tefillin, etc; it all means little to me.
Let murderers run and grab the corners of the misbeach.
no longer eats rubashkins
stop apologing. i dont care if you have such a kesher to this. its poshit a chilul Hashem, end of story.
i also dont care how liberal the media. this is 100% disgusting, even though we all like to pull the wool over our eyes and believe that we can do no wrong. 100% disgusting, all of this nonsense.
yes rubashkins is wrong
“I have no problem with Rubashkin abusing his workers and killing the animals as he did, just don’t get caught because then we all look bad.”
your sick and do not reflect Jews. stop creating a chilul Hashem, and maybe talk out your mouth next time.
cyk398
I am currently on Merkos Shlichus and met an individual who said “I am embarrassed to be associated with people like that.” Referring to Rubashkan.
i wonder what this chaim will do if people wil be embarrased to associate with him becouse he put on tefilin sometimes .
lastword
Since when are Jews insensitive to human causes?
This is a noble call for sanity and consistency in the government.
What gives anyone the right to take issue with something so rightful a concern?
How fortunate we are to have citizenship in this country, where we have opportunity to much more easily get ahead – G-d willing. Yes, we have to have much more consistent immigration laws – that will be enforced, but if what is reported here actually happened, then certainly the punishment is irrational, foolish, counterproductive and cruel, and should worry to to take action to help correct it.