While the national media seems to have forgotten the May 12 raid at a kosher food factory in the northern Iowa town, the Colorado Independent’s sister news site in Iowa continues to report on the story behind the story: a politically-connected corporation called Agriprocessors Inc. has escaped prosecution while the almost 400 undocumented workers whom the company routinely exploited have suffered mass arrest and deportation. This is the reality of "getting tough" on undocumented workers.
This week the Iowa Independent’s Lynda Waddington reported on the routine sexual harassment that female employees at the Agriprocessors plant faced.
Jewish groups are now calling for changes at Agriprocessors, which plays a dominant role in the kosher food sales nationwide. And, in western Iowa, Doug Burns and Lorena Lopez reported that so-far unfounded fears of a similar raid have frightened local Latinos.
The firm’s owner Aaron Rubashkin and his relatives have donated generously to the Iowa Republican party, and given smaller amounts to two Democrats, Gov. Chet Culver and Lieutenant Governor Patty Judge.
