Iowa community rallies to help families after raids

Published: 2008-05-28

WATERLOO, Iowa (CNS) -- As the people arrested in a May 12 immigration raid in Iowa were processed and sent off to prison or deported, church leaders, pastoral ministers and community organizers in northeast Iowa struggled with what they called the tragic and devastating effects of the enforcement action. After nearly 400 people were arrested at Agriprocessors, a meat processing plant in Postville, the faith community responded the following Sunday with a prayer service, a conference on how the community could help affected families, and a march to the cattle fairgrounds where the arrested workers were held initially. Father Jose Comparan, pastoral administrator of Queen of Peace Catholic Church and director of Hispanic ministry in Waterloo, said the events were intended to create awareness of what was happening and how people are being affected. "We also wanted the government to know that we do not approve of their actions," he said. Pastoral leaders and parishioners of St. Bridget Catholic Parish in Postville, which was on the front lines of trying to assist arrested workers and their families, were joined in Waterloo by representatives of other churches.

Copyright (c) 2008 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .