More than 300 immigrant men, women, and teenagers were detained Monday when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raided a meat processing plant in northeastern Iowa. The National Immigrant Justice Center urges ICE to exercise broad discretion in considering the release of individuals on humanitarian grounds, and insists that the agency allow legal aid providers to meet with detainees immediately.

Most of the workers who were arrested at Agriprocessors, Inc., in Postville, Iowa, were believed to be taken to the National Cattle Congress Fairgrounds in Waterloo, but the Des Moines Register reported Tuesday morning that the whereabouts of many men and women were still unclear.

Due to the dire consequences that detainees may face, including deportation, it is essential that legal aid providers are allowed to meet with them quickly. Many of the workers who were arrested in Postville may be eligible for immigration relief, but they might be unaware of their rights if they are not allowed to speak to legal counsel.  In addition, detainees may unwittingly agree to waive their rights by signing "stipulated removal orders," which are documents in which an individual effectively agrees to be deported. Stipulated orders are frequently signed by individuals who do not understand their consequences, but believe they are agreeing to a voluntary departure from the United States-an exit with much less severe consequences. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for U.S. citizens to be swept up in worksite raids, and those individuals must be identified and released immediately. 

The fact that ICE has chosen to hold hundreds of workers at a fairground also raises serious concerns. ICE must be held accountable for upholding detainees' rights under the U.S. Constitution and international human rights law, and for the full implementation of its own detention standards, including provision of medical care, access to legal information, telephones, and the dissemination of a basic handbook of rights to each individual in ICE custody.

ICE must uphold the Constitution and international human rights standards. No immigrant should be subjected to inhumane treatment once arrested or detained, or deported without the ability to speak to an attorney about his or her potential relief.