The rally, organized by faith-based community groups in Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, was in response to the devastation caused by the May 12 immigration raid at Postville's Agriprocessors meatpacking plant in which nearly 400 workers were arrested, as well as reports about alleged labor abuses that occurred at the plant.

The fight is far from over. According to today's Des Moines Register, Agriprocessors has already allegedly failed to pay wages to the Somali refugees who were recruited to replace the Guatemalan workers who were arrested in the raid:

Hassan Yusuf, 22, said he and others were promised a bonus and a free month's rent if they came to work at the plant. "We never got it," he said. "They're just trying to grab us here."

Yusuf showed a paycheck stub from Jacobson Cos., a Des Moines-based firm that has been hiring workers to fill jobs at Agriprocessors. The check was for his first week's work, with deductions for rent and a loan he said he never took out. After the deductions, Yusuf netted $8.61.

 

The paperwork showed that he was supposed to make $10 an hour, and that he'd been paid for 34.5 hours. He said he actually worked 48 hours.

More recent coverage from Postville:

New York Times coverage of Agriprocessors' alleged labor violations: After Iowa Raid, Immigrants Fuel Labor Inquiries

Coverage of the rally from The New York Times and the Associated Press

Photos from the Postville rally from The Iowa Independent

Links to transcripts from the House Judiciary Committee's July 24 Hearing on Immigration Raids: Postville and Beyond

Coverage of the House Judiciary Committee hearing from Standing FIRM

Coverage of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus July 26 hearing in Postville:

Congressmen discuss Iowa immigration raid (The Hawkeye)

Postville workers plead for reform (The Gazette)

Politics led to Postville raid, Democrat alleges (Des Moines Register)

Iowans to congressmen: Stop immigration raids (Associated Press)

Congressmen Head to Iowa to Look Into Raid (Chicago Public Radio)