14 July 2008
I just read an editorial about an Immigration roundup in Postville, Iowa, the results of which made me very disgusted with our justice system. The information for the article was given by Dr. Erik Camayd-Freixas, a professor and Spanish-language court interpreter who was helping, in court, after a huge immigration workplace raid at a meatpacking plant in Iowa. The workers, mostly Guatemalans should have been swiftly deported but more than 260 were charged with using false Social Security numbers and were sentenced to five months in prison. True, these people broke the law, but not to make use of the numbers for other than allowing them to work and support their families. The system was rigged against them and many waived their right because they did not understand the charges against them.
No cameras were allowed in the courtroom but Dr. Camayd-Freixas described how they were shackled at the wrists, waist and ankles. With chains clanking, in groups of 10, they were taken to the court where they listened to interpreted information and then taken then out again to be bused to different county jails, to make room for the next row of 10. Many waived their right in hopes of quickly being deported as they had families to support. They, for the most part did not understand the charges they faced. How much lower will our country sink? I believe that we should deport
unauthorized workers but putting them in prison sends their families deeper into poverty. To me this was a cruel way to deal with the offenders, no doubt driven by the Bush administration being goaded by immigration extremists.
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