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United States Attorney’s Office

Northern District of Iowa

United States Attorney Stephanie M. Rose

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

For further information contact:Bob TeigFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE(319) 363-6333Date:June 22, 2010 Cedar Rapids, IowaOn June 22, 2010, Sholom Rubashkin was sentenced to 27 years in prison. Thatclosed another chapter involving the May 12, 2008, U.S. Immigration and CustomsEnforcement worksite enforcement operation at Postville, Iowa. The time has come toset the record straight about that day and the following two years.The small town of Postville relied upon Agriprocessors. Postville was occupied byresidents who benefitted from, and feared the discovery of, hundreds of illegal workers. Agriprocessors capitalized on fears – workers’ fears of being deported; employees’fears of revealing lies made to the company’s creditors; and residents’ fears of thetown’s economy crumbling if Agriprocessors’ illegal acts were discovered. The toughdecision was made to go forward with a massive enforcement operation after consultations at the highest levels of the United States Departments of Justice andHomeland Security.May 12, 2008, was a day many will long remember. Hundreds of illegal workers –compliant and accepting – were charged, provided attorneys, and entered into thecriminal justice system. Tireless agents, U.S. Attorney’s Office employees, defenseattorneys, and court personnel worked around the clock to ensure defendants’ rightswere protected and standards of human decency were met.By May 22, 2008, 306 illegal workers had pled guilty to their immigration- or document-related offenses. The prosecution of the illegal workers was complete. Theprosecution of those who preyed upon those workers had just begun.Over the next 18 months, hundreds of witnesses were interviewed. An intensiveinvestigation substantiated crimes known in May 2008 and revealed many moreunknown crimes. Steadily, the case against Agriprocessors, Sholom Rubashkin, andothers was built. At each step, a grand jury heard the evidence and returnedindictments charging the crimes. Ultimately, nine lower level Agriprocessors managersand office employees pled guilty and were sentenced. After an impartial trial jury heard the evidence and convicted Rubashkin on November 12, 2009, a concerted campaign emerged to paint prosecutors as racists, Nazis, andzealots. This office followed the law, stood silent in the face of vicious and falseaccusations, and worked to the conclusion of the case. Silence is no longer in order.