December 12, 2006

For more information, contact Cynthia Brooke at 773.728.8400 x40.

ICE Agents Freeze Out Workers

Earlier today, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) began a series of raids on immigrant workers at six Swift & Co. processing plants and arrested an unknown number of workers. The Associated Press has reported raids Greeley, Colo.; Grand Island, Neb.; Cactus, Texas; Hyrum, Utah; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Worthington, Minn.

Interfaith Worker Justice Board of Directors today issued a statement condemning the ICE raids. “Today’s use of force against immigrant workers is deplorable. When government agents dressed in riot gear begin barging into the workplace, it only serves to terrorize workers who live in this nation.”

According to IWJ Workers’ Center Network Coordinator José Oliva, “These raids are part of a new strategy by ICE to criminalize workers whose only wish is to obtain just wages so that they can support themselves and their families.”

Download a PDF version of this release

Go to the Immigration Action Page

Interfaith Worker Justice is a network of people of faith who call upon religious values to engage the religious community in issues and campaigns to improve the wages, benefits and working conditions of workers in low-wage jobs. Interfaith Worker Justice has 60 local affiliate chapters around the country.

Interfaith Worker Justice, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, 4th Floor, Chicago IL 60660, (773) 728-8400, fax: (773) 728-8409

Website: http://www.iwj.org/