CBS: Immigration Raid Left Iowa Town’s Economy ‘In Tatters’

On Saturday, CBS’s Anthony Mason blamed tough economic times in a small Iowa town on immigration enforcement: "...the small town of Postville, Iowa, is still struggling to recover from an immigration raid last year that left its economy in tatters."

Reporting for Saturday’s Evening News, correspondent Seth Doane followed Mason’s introduction by similarly arguing: "...last May when Agriprocessors, a kosher meat processing plant, and the town's largest employer, was raided by Homeland Security. Hundreds were arrested, accused of illegally working in the U.S...After the raid, the plant declared bankruptcy. At one point, leaving hundreds of legal workers without jobs." Doane described the town’s commemoration of the one-year anniversary of the raid: "A few weeks ago at the one-year anniversary of the raid, church bells tolled 389 times, one for each person arrested. It served as a reminder, as if anyone here needed one."

In November, Doane issued an almost identical report on the impact of the raid on the Early Show: "With empty streets and shuttered shops, this small town is facing economic calamity. Mayor Bob Penrod is taking steps this weekend to declare a state of emergency here. But it's not a natural disaster. Rather, one that's manmade...It all started May 12th, when hundreds of federal immigration authorities raided Agriprocessors and arrested 389 workers."

What Doane failed to report in both stories was the numerous labor law violations that Agriprocessors has been accused of by many of the illegal immigrants who once worked at the Postville plant. A July 27, 2008 article in the New York Times detailed those allegations:

...in the aftermath of the arrests, labor investigators have reaped a bounty of new evidence from the testimony of illegal immigrants, teenagers and adults, who were caught in the raid. In formal declarations, immigrants have described pervasive labor violations at the plant, testimony that could result in criminal charges for Agriprocessors executives, labor law experts said...many of the immigrants say they now have nothing to lose in speaking up about the conditions in the plant. They have told investigators that they were routinely put to work without safety training and were forced to work long shifts without overtime or rest time. Under-age workers said their bosses knew how young they were.

On Saturday, Doane made only a brief reference to the criminal case against Agriprocessors, citing one illegal immigrant caught in the raid: "Last fall, when we met Irma Rucal one of the undocumented plant workers, she wore a tracking anklet and awaited deportation. Just weeks ago, the device was removed. ‘I started crying for joy,’ she tells me. Irma and her children can now legally stay in the U.S. because she and at least 20 others have agreed to testify in the government's case against the plant."

Here is the full transcript of the Saturday Evening News story:

6:46PM TEASE:

ANTHONY MASON: And just ahead on tonight's CBS Evening News, an Iowa town struggles to recover one year after a devastating raid.

6:49PM SEGMENT:

ANTHONY MASON: Across the country this weekend, a number of states are holding debates on immigration reform while the small town of Postville, Iowa, is still struggling to recover from an immigration raid last year that left its economy in tatters. Tonight, Seth Doane revisits a town on the front line of the immigration debate.

SETH DOANE: On front lawns across Postville, Iowa, there are the signs of spring. Then there are signs that it's this spring. Once home to 3,000 people, Postville's population has dwindled in a matter of months to just 1,800.

KIM DEERING [OWNER, WISHING WELL]: People are trying to be positive in the community, but – but it's wearing on them.

DOANE: Is it wearing on you?

DEERING: Oh, yeah.

DOANE: At the Wishing Well, business is off 30%. But at least Kim Deering is still in business. Many of her neighbors cannot say the same. For the past year, CBS News has followed the struggle here, which began last May when Agriprocessors, a kosher meat processing plant, and the town's largest employer, was raided by Homeland Security. Hundreds were arrested, accused of illegally working in the U.S. A few weeks ago at the one-year anniversary of the raid, church bells tolled 389 times, one for each person arrested. It served as a reminder, as if anyone here needed one.

MARYN OLSON [POSTVILLE RESPONSE COALITION]: On top of the direct impact of the raid happening and people losing their jobs and income, there's not other jobs that they can go to.

DOANE: After the raid, the plant declared bankruptcy. At one point, leaving hundreds of legal workers without jobs. Like Jeff and Holly Bohr. When we met back in November, they hadn't seen a paycheck for weeks.

JEFF BOHR: We're just struggling to survive.

DOANE: Eventually, Agriprocessors did reopen at just one-third capacity, and Holly got her job back. Jeff had to leave town to find work. It means a commute and a pay cut. But it's not just pain in Postville. Last fall, when we met Irma Rucal one of the undocumented plant workers, she wore a tracking anklet and awaited deportation. Just weeks ago, the device was removed. ‘I started crying for joy,’ she tells me. Irma and her children can now legally stay in the U.S. because she and at least 20 others have agreed to testify in the government's case against the plant. Though her son Hoel realizes, while they have work permits, there's still no work. You want to work?

HOEL RUCAL: Yeah.

DOANE: Are there jobs here?

RUCAL: No. We don't have any jobs here.

DOANE: Dependent on charity for housing, food, and medical care, local churches have donated over $1.2 million so far to those affected by the raid.

STEVE BRACKETT [PASTOR, ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH]: Postville is an excellent opportunity for our elected officials, for our president, the administration, to come and see what immigration raids do to communities. We have the evidence right here.

DOANE: Evidence on the front lawns here, signs that communities like Postville are at the center of the immigration debate. Seth Doane, CBS News, Postville, Iowa.