Friday Must-Read: ‘The Jungle,’ Again
Youngstown — Posted on August 1, 2008 at 12:34 pm
I had a very enlightening breakfast this morning with the remarkable Brian Corbin. Brian has dedicated himself to the Valley for about twenty years, and in his leadership role with Catholic Charities Diocese of Youngstown he and his group are working to address poverty and racism throughout the six northeastern counties of Ohio. We’re fortunate to have them based right here in Youngstown, on Wood Street, appropriately situated across from the The Youngstown Historical Center of Industry & Labor.
The U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has been working overtime to round up undocumented workers and prosecute them beyond all reason. This happened in Youngstown, and it appears the restaurant in question was as much of a victim–at least at the local level–as the workers.
However, there’s a different story going on in Iowa. First, get outraged with one of the most sensible editorials you’re likely to read in a while. That’s today’s must-read:
A slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa, develops an ugly reputation for abusing animals and workers. Reports of dirty, dangerous conditions at the Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant accumulate for years, told by workers, union organizers, immigrant advocates and government investigators. A videotape by an animal-rights group shows workers pulling the windpipes out of living cows. A woman with a deformed hand tells a reporter of cutting meat for 12 hours a day, six days a week, for wages that labor experts call the lowest in the industry. This year, federal investigators amass evidence of rampant illegal hiring at the plant, which has been called “a kosher ‘Jungle.’ ”The conditions at the Agriprocessors plant cry out for the cautious and deliberative application of justice.
In May, the government swoops in and arrests … the workers, hundreds of them, for having false identity papers. The raid’s catch is so huge that the detainees are bused from little Postville to the National Cattle Congress fairgrounds in Waterloo. The defendants, mostly immigrants from Guatemala, are not charged with the usual administrative violations, but with “aggravated identity theft,” a serious crime.
Now, for the story behind it.
When federal immigration agents raided the kosher meatpacking plant here in May and rounded up 389 illegal immigrants, they found more than 20 under-age workers, some as young as 13.Now those young immigrants have begun to tell investigators about their jobs. Some said they worked shifts of 12 hours or more, wielding razor-edged knives and saws to slice freshly killed beef. Some worked through the night, sometimes six nights a week.
[...]
Sonia Parras Konrad, an immigration lawyer in private practice in Des Moines, is representing many of the young workers. She said she had so far identified 27 workers under 18 who were employed in the packing areas of the plant, most of them illegal immigrants from Guatemala, including some who were not arrested in the raid.
“Some of these boys don’t even shave,” Ms. Parras Konrad said. “They’re goofy. They’re teenagers.”
[...]
While federal prosecutors are primarily focusing on immigration charges, they may also be looking into labor violations. Search warrant documents filed in court before the raid, which was May 12, cited a report by an anonymous immigrant who was sent to work in the plant by immigration authorities as an undercover informant. The immigrant saw “a rabbi who was calling employees derogatory names and throwing meat at employees.” Jewish managers oversee the slaughtering and processing of meat at Agriprocessors to ensure kosher standards.
In another episode, the informant said a floor supervisor had blindfolded an immigrant with duct tape. “The floor supervisor then took one of the meat hooks and hit the Guatemalan with it,” the informant said, adding that the blow did not cause “serious injuries.”
[...]
Mark Lauritsen, a vice president for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, which has tried to organize the plant, said he remained skeptical. “They are the poster child for how a rogue company can exploit a broken immigration system,” Mr. Lauritsen said.
More round-ups and deportations will not fix our broken immigration system. We need to step back and assess our values. We need these workers and they need us. Let’s find a mutually agreeable arrangement. Thanks, Brian, for bringing this to my attention–and now to our attention. Thanks, too, for the work you do for those in need.
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6 Comments
The issue of immigration is far more complex than the current administration and the Republicans would have us believe. The American people have had the wool pulled over their eyes. This in addition to having their tax dollars used to build a wall between the US and Mexico. I say tear that wall down! What nonsense and fear mongering that is! The current propaganda about immigration flies in the face of reason when one considers the fact that rust belt cities such as ours could benefit from immigration. It’s not like we don’t have enough housing stock.-;) Richard Longworth in the book “Caught in the Middle- America’s Heartland in an Age of Globalism” drives this point home again and again. Research indicates that more often than not, immigrants are not taking work that would otherwise be done by U.S.Citizens. In fact, an influx of immigrants actually encourages entreprenueurship, and more service industry. Furthermore, the US now opens its doors to far fewer immigrants than any other developed nation in the world. This behavior from a nation that has prided itself as one built by immigrants. I personally am appalled by this. I am currently reading “Out of This Furance” by Thomas Bell. This book is about immigrant labor in America when the steel industry was booming. It takes place in Braddock PA which is in itself quite interesting. I recommend reading this in addition to re-reading “The Jungle”. I believe that this topic deserves far more serious and open minded discussion and would like to see a local focus group put together to discuss this further.
Debra,
I just the other day Pulled Out of This Furnace off of the shelf.
I for one know that the issue of immigration is very complicated (I had a whole conversation about it this morning at Farmer’s Market). I appreciate it, Tyler, that you’re raising awareness, especially in light of the recent restaurant raid.
Tyler – Speaking as a Jew I am appalled and ashamed at what went on at AgriProcessors, Inc. Given what PETA discovered in 2004 on the way animals were treated I wish I could say I was surprised at how workers were treated.
I agree with Debra – the issue of immigration is complex and requires thoughtful action. Politicians talk NAFTA and feed the irrational fear that immigrant labor is taking american jobs.
Fear leads to finding a scapegoat – and it seems that the Bush administration, and a lot, of Americans are willing to treat undocumented workers as literal scapegoats.
I write about farmworker issues on my blog and I get the most hateful comments. There are those who think death is a just punishment for being an undocumented worker. It is heartbreaking.
Thanks for bringing this subject to light.
Thanks, deb, for your comments. It would be nice to hope that a new administration would bring a fresh perspective to the issue of immigration, but we know that’s a lot to hope for. I’d like to see a candidate go to the border and say, “Mr. President: Tear this wall down!”
We need to examine the quota of immigrants allowed to naturalize and, more than that, recognize that–regardless of status–persons everywhere are to be accorded basic human rights and dignity.
Lucy, thanks as always for your comments. I’m sure you’ll have the book finished before sundown. We’ll look forward to a full report.
fivehusbands, Thanks for your comments. I understand this has been particularly shocking for the Jewish community. I think fear also shuts down the conversation. I’m sorry to hear about the comments you’re getting on your blog about the farmworkers. That is truly a sad commentary on the state of our national discourse.
Clearly, there’s much work to be done.
Thanks for your comments and making the connections.
One area that seems “complex” about immigration, in my opinion, regards the issue whether such non-documented immigration is “illegal” and then the labeling of such persons as “illegal.”
Immigration law is not under the criminal code. It is under civil-administrative law. Surely, to break any law is in fact an “illegal” action. Now, who out there has ever driven 30 miles an hour in a 25 mile zone? If you got stopped by the civil authorities and charged with a “ticket” then you have broken the law. You are have engaged in an “illegal” action — against the civil law governing traffic control/safety. Even if you did not get stopped and “ticketed” you still broke the civil traffic law and have engaged in an “illegal” action. You should/must follow the traffic laws rightfully so.
So, question 1: why are persons who broke the immigration civil law, and done an illegal action, labeled as “illegal aliens” while those who broke traffic-civil laws and did an “illegal action” not labeled as “illegal drivers”? Why do we use such derogatory language for persons who have broken a civil law in one case, and would never imagine labeling an “illegal driver” in that same manner and tone?
Question 2: Isn’t it an “action” that breaks the law, therefore an “illegal action,” while a human person is always a human person and never an “illegal person?”
Question 3: If I should speed in a traffic zone and get stopped, ticketed and warned by a civil authority, should I have the mechanism in place to defend myself without being jailed, have recourse to paying a fine and maybe even get some points added to my driver’s license? I do. I most likely, under “normal” circumstances of speeding (not OUI/DUI or engaged in other criminal activities)will not go to jail immediately for breaking the civil traffic law.
If I am charged with breaking the traffic laws, I will get a ticket. I can protest and try to assert my innocence before a court, or I can plead guilty, write a check and pay a fine, knowing that points will be added to my license. My paid fine, and time, will ultimately rectify my “illegal action.”
Why do persons who break civil administration immigration laws not have such a chance to rectify their actions and may in fact be placed in jail immediately, and may even be asked to sign a voluntary deportation and moved out of this country rapidly without a chance to clean up my record? The current 1986 Immigration and Control Act which is the operative immigration policy does not allow for any such procedure of paying a fine and correcting my action. Deportation is one of the few remedies. Detention may be the immediate result.
President Bush and President Fox of Mexico had planned in 2001 to try to deal with these issues. “9-11″ changed the landscape.
Congress and the White House has tried to deal rationally with amending the current immigration policy but to no avail due to various factors.
It is my hope that we work together as citizens of this fantastic country — dedicated to persons coming here during/under different immigration policies for all types of socio, economic, political and religious reasons — to amend/improve/change the current immigration law to help persons find rational, humane and family-friendly processes for immigration, all the while protecting their human dignity.
Thanks for helping us talk/write about this very important topic which, in my opinion, is at the heart of who we are as a people dedicated to human rights, human life, and human dignity. Even for immigrants and drivers who do “illegal actions” and break the law. Let’s find just ways to dealing with this important topic. The 1986 Immigration policy needs reform now.
Thanks, Brian. This perspective is revelatory for me, and I think it can provide a new way for people of good faith to discuss immigration reform with others.