Five years after raid, faith communities call for immigration reform

Facebooktwittermail

By Celine Klosterman

People march from the federal courthouse in Cedar Rapids to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church during a May 10 commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the May 12, 2008, immigration raid in Postville. Some people carry a rose representing one of the 389 people arrested during the raid.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Alongside members of Christian and Jewish communities, Catholics from the Diocese of Davenport marched and prayed for immigration reform during a May 10 commemoration of the fifth anniversary of an immigration raid in Postville.
About 400 people attended a bilingual interfaith service at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church following a one-mile “walk for justice” from the federal courthouse in Cedar Rapids, about 90 miles south of Postville. The latter town was the site of the Agriprocessors kosher meatpacking plant at which 389 people were arrested during a raid on May 12, 2008.
Speakers at the Cedar Rapids event described the raid as a humanitarian disaster that split up families as workers — many of whom were natives of Guatemala or Mexico — were deported.

To read the rest of this article, subscribe to The Catholic Messenger’s e-edition.


Support The Catholic Messenger’s mission to inform, educate and inspire the faithful of the Diocese of Davenport – and beyond! Subscribe to the print and/or e-edition, or make a one-time donation, today!

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Facebooktwittermail
Posted on