No Immigration Talk?

The big story in many parts of the country yesterday was that the Department of Homeland Security and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested 1,200 alleged illegal immigrants in six major meat-processing and packing plants across the country. What you may not have known, since it hasn’t been mentioned much in the Iowa blogosphere, is that one of the big busts happened in Marshalltown. In fact, we learn today, that the impetus for the busts across the country was an identity theft investigation that also started in Marshalltown.

Frankly, although I’m disappointed that we haven’t been talking more about this in the Iowa blogosphere, I also really don’t know what to say. Illegal immigration is on some level bad for pretty much everyone involved (including the immigrants, who are often exploited), but this raid is going to have a really negative effect on Marshalltown according to many. For instance:

Marshalltown Associate Superintendent Patrick Kremer said school staff have been trying to find out the status of students who haven’t showed up to school after the arrests. He said he is concerned some students will drop out after what happened.

That really isn’t good for anybody in the long run. Education isn’t foolproof, but it’s the best way we know of to lift people out of poverty and reduce crime when it works. Emotionally, it seems to have taken a huge toll, too. When you have teenage girls comparing the raid to 9/11, you know things are bad:

“When 9/11 came along, everyone remembered it,” said Isis Diaz, 14, and a freshman. “I think everyone will remember this.”

That report also notes that the day after the raid, there was an increased police presence on campus, and students feared that they could be arrested for going to school if their immigration status was in question. Again, not good for anyone.
Until about two years ago, Marshalltown was the closest city with a real movie theater for Grinnell students to go to. I know we will do our best to follow this story and its long-term impacts on the community, because it could be a pretty big deal. For instance, will this raid actually reduce unemployment in Marshalltown (as anti-immigration groups assert that it will)? Or will such a large-scale crackdown
be too big a blow to a community like Marshalltown for anyone to see much benefit?

UPDATE: One thing I didn’t know before now is that noneed4thneed of the Century of the Common Iowan blog writes from Marshalltown and is a second grade teacher there. If his latest post is any indication, his blog will be a useful place to look for a local perspective on all this.

Add comment December 13th, 2006