From the AP:
The head of meatpacker Swift & Co. said federal officials wanted a high-profile example of an immigration crackdown when they staged raids at its plants in six states, including Minnesota, in an identity theft investigation late last year.ICE arrested 1,282 workers during raids in Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Iowa and Minnesota. Of those, 246 now face state or federal identity theft charges and the rest face immigration charges.
President and CEO Sam Rovit said the government rejected the company’s offer to help in the investigation months before the Dec. 12 raids.
“They were looking for a marquee to show the administration it was tough on immigration,” he told the Greeley Tribune for a story published Friday.
Here’s a reminder of the toll of this demonstration.