Most of the men and women arrested in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid of the Agriprocessors, Inc., meatpacking plant in May 2008 have already served their criminal sentences and returned to their native countries. But debate continues over the constitutionality of the aggravated identity theft charges that led to their deportations.

NIJC's winter edition of the Defending Human Rights & Due Process policy brief includes stories from Agriprocessors workers and families who were affected by the May 2008 immigration raid in Postville, Iowa.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of a case raising issues similar to those that have emerged in the seven months since the Postville raid. United States v. Flores-Figueroa addresses the question of whether a charge of aggravated identity theft requires that suspects knew that the identity they used belonged to another person. Unfortunately for hundreds of immigrant workers who lived in Postville, the answer will come too late.

Meanwhile, women and children who were released by ICE for "humanitarian reasons" following the raid and who were spared criminal charges now struggle to survive while they seek immigration protection based on the abuse they allegedly suffered at Agriprocessors. The women will not be permitted to work until their immigration cases are completed - a process that could take a year or more. As a result, they have become totally reliant on charity from the Postville community.

The policy brief, available for download here, includes information on how individuals can support Postville's families with donations or by asking members of Congress to support humane immigration reform in 2009.