AgriProcessors, founded by Aaron Rubashkin, an Hasidic Orthodox Jewish butcher and rabbi from Brooklyn, supplies over half the kosher meat sold in the United States. On May 12th agents executed criminal search warrants for aggravated identity theft and the use of fraudulent Social Security numbers. There were 697 warrants and 389 arrests. Currently, officials aren't certain as to who exactly was operating the meth lab.

One former plant supervisor alleged that over 80% of the floor employees were illegal aliens from Mexico, Guatemala and Eastern Europe. Additionally 3 of their rabbis, whose job it is to supervise the kosher slaughter of livestock, were Israelis who were also illegally employed.

The local government has tripled its courtrooms and assigned temporary personnel to help quickly process the large number of detainees. Those who are facing criminal charges have been assigned lawyers. Those not facing criminal charges will have a hearing in front of an immigration judge who will decide if that person can stay in the country. If the judge orders deportation then that detainee will return to their home country almost immediately unless they appeal.

AgriProcessors is no stranger to controversy. In 2005 PETA released hidden video footage of inhumane practices within this same Postville facility. Then in 2006, the company was fined $600,000 for environmental damages caused by raw sewage released in the area.

The large magnitude of this operation must be a massive strain on the town and the detainees. We're glad to see that officials are trying to speed up the process so that the detainees won't have to wait long to see an immigration judge. AgriProcessors' resume already includes animal abuse, raw sewage pollution and illegal workers, but for us, the meth lab is the icing on this awful cake. We can only hope that these recent events stimulate a positive change at AgriProcessors, but we won't hold our breath.

Immigration Raid: Officials had Inside Source [KCRG]
Immigration Raid: Over 300 Face Charges [KCRG]
Agriprocessors [Wiki]
Feds: Drugs made at kosher meat plant [Jewish Telegraph Agency]

(Photo: Getty)

You might have a harder time finding kosher meat in the coming weeks, because the country's largest kosher meat packing plant, Agriprocessors, was raided this past Monday. At least 300 of its nearly 1000 employees were arrested for using fraudulently obtained Social Security numbers, and immigration officials have said they expect the number to go as high as 700.

Agriprocessors is located in Postville, Iowa, which might seem like an odd place for the nation's largest kosher meat packing plant:

About 200 Hasidic Jews arrived in Postville in 1987, when butcher Aaron Rubashkin of Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighborhood reopened a defunct meatpacking plant with his two sons, Sholom and Heshy, just outside the city limits. Business boomed at the plant, reviving the depressed economy while pitting the newcomers against the predominantly Lutheran community.

"Iowa meatpacking plant raided in ID theft investigation" [USA Today]

RELATED
"Immigration Authorities Arrest Hundreds in Raid on Nation’s Largest Kosher Meat Plant" [Forward]
(Photo: Getty Images)

According to the article, Richardson is likely in violation of a state law that prohibits unfair sales practices, as well as state laws "prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race or national origin in places of public accommodation." Even the group that Richardson claims membership in—Rhode Islanders for Immigration Law Enforcement (RIILE)—is trying to distance itself from Richardson:

"There's no way I can defend what he did. It definitely isn't the policy of RIILE to go around and use your RIILE card to intimidate people," said Gorman in a phone interview. "That's not something that RIILE would promote ... to make citizen's arrest."

Genao said he is still upset over the encounter, which he called "loud in tone." Richardson called it "a discussion."

"I told [Richardson] I'm a U.S. citizen by choice, whereas he was just born here," said Genao. "I have every right to be here. I told him his behavior was shameful. And he went on to say that a lot of these illegal immigrants are criminals and we have to stop them, and he said he did this for his country — because it's going downhill, because of all these illegal immigrants.

"What [Richardson] should have done was say, 'Thank you for shopping with me.' That's all he had to do."

(Thanks to ElizabethD!)

"Store owner asks to see shoppers' Social Security cards" [The Providence Journal]

July 2, 2007

VIA CERTIFIED MAIL

Leslie H. Wexner
CEO, Limited Brands Inc
THREE LIMITED PKWY
P.O. Box 16000
Columbus, OH 43216

Sharon J. Turney
President and Chief Executive Officer, Victoria's Secret
CEO, Limited Brands Inc
THREE LIMITED PKWY
P.O. Box 16000
Columbus, OH 43216

Dear Mr. Wexner & Ms. Turney,

I write to inform you of an incident that occurred this Saturday at your Victoria's Secret store located in SoHo, Manhattan at 565 Broadway (Store #774). Despite producing an original sales receipt, the credit card used to make the purchase AND a United States Permanent Resident Card (commonly known as a "green card"), I was denied the right to return a $24.99 bra that I purchased just one week and one day earlier. Your manager, Jackie, cited a "new return policy" that deems my U.S. government issued identification worthless in the eyes of your undergarment retail giant.

It all began when I attempted to return a bra that I had purchased for my mother (she didn't like the color) at another one of your stores located in Westchester County on the 22nd of June. The bra was just one portion of a purchase totaling $93!! After waiting on line for nearly 10 minutes, only to be told that I had to go to a different register because, unbeknownst to me, returns were being processed at one specific terminal, After waiting on line again, I was greeted by a very rude and condescending cashier. I produced the bra and my receipt (copy annexed) along with the credit card used to make the purchase. After starting the return process, the clerk requested photo identification. My student ID wasn't sufficient, nor was a credit card bearing my photo.

Given no other options, I reached into the depths of my wallet to pull out a form of identification that I use a total of once or twice a year when I travel on vacation to Europe. I don't even like to carry it around with me. It is the most precious and most official form of identification that I posses. It is my Permanent Resident Card issued by the United States Department of Immigration and Naturalization!

If you are unfamiliar with the Permanent Resident Card, in addition to bearing my name, a photo and a fingerprint, it also contains a plethora of other personal data regarding my immigration status. I am always reluctant to share this information with anyone but those who have a legitimate need for it ( i.e. Airport Customs & Security).

Like a good million (or four!) other New York City residents, I do not have a drivers license because I DO NOT DRIVE! While I was a bit hesitant to hand the Victoria's

Secret cashier my Permanent Resident Card, I had already invested 20 minutes of my personal time to make the still incomplete return, and so I caved and handed it over.

To my utter dismay and disbelief, the cashier nastily responded, "I can't use this, this is no good." After requesting to speak to a supervisor, Jackie, the manager on duty, cited a "new return policy" that demanded the production of either a drivers license or passport. According to Jackie, the new computerized return system "will not accept the numbers" on my green card. I even offered to accept store credit in lieu of a cash refund (which in hindsight, I was weak for even suggesting. I have a RIGHT to return the merchandise. It says so on the receipt!). There were no exceptions, according to Jackie. I could not return the bra.

To have a retail store tell you that your Permanent Resident Card, an identification document issued by the United States federal government, a document that sufficiently establishes my right to live here, to exit and enter this country without a visa, a card that proves my status as a Permanent Resident of the United States - a status that affords me nearly the same rights that a naturalized citizen has (with the exception of the right to vote and Social Security benefits, if you want to point out two of the most important differences) — is "no good," is an attack on my identity.

Never in my life have I been so frustrated. Here was one of your store managers telling me, a long time paying customer of your brands, in front of my boyfriend and everyone else on line, that I can't return a $24.99 bra because my green card "isn't good enough" to prove that I am who I say I am. I was reduced to tears as I stormed out of the store though a chaotic crowd of weekend shoppers. Yes I had caused a scene, and yes, I was utterly embarrassed. My $93 was good enough for Victoria's Secret when I went on one of my nearly once a month shopping sprees at what used to be one of my favorite stores on earth. Yes I can get a non-driver's ID from New York State, but in all my years of living in New York City, in all my years of living in this COUNTRY, I have never had a need for one. NOT ONCE. To get a new form of identification simply so I can enjoy the "privilege" of returning merchandise to one of your stores, is absolutely absurd!

Maybe I'm not good enough to shop at Limited Brands stores. Maybe I should wait until my citizenship track is approved by the INS before I reapply for return privileges at Victoria's Secret. By then I'm sure you will have a fully implemented and operational biometric return clearance system that performs a DNA analysis against a database of career "retail-store ripper-offers." Maybe then, your computer will be smart enough to point out to your sales clerk that I spend hundreds of dollars a year at your stores so maybe they should treat me with a little dignity and respect. Until then, all I can do is fight back. I will protest this return policy by urging all those similar situated to refrain from giving a single hard-earned cent to your company!

Truly yours,

RR

We're willing to chalk most of it up to poor training, but that's just plain rude behavior on the manager's part. Why couldn't Victoria's Secret accept the green card? It's got a bajillion pieces of personal information. Perhaps it's because if you're working at the SoHo Victoria's Secret, you're probably a vapid dipshit.

Rather than exiting in tears, though, RR might have been better served by calling Victoria's Secret corporate right then and there. Maybe HQ would've been able to set this store straight. In any event, Victoria's Secret should write an apology letter, let RR return the bra for a full refund, and maybe throw in a $25 gift card for good measure.

(Photo: AP)

Unfortunately, the story doesn't look like it is going to have a happy ending: Goma's television stardom has alerted UK immigration authorities to the fact that he is unemployed and has long overstayed his tourist visa. They are looking to deport him straight back to the Congo. You'd think that some intrepid British television producer would be savvy enough to recognize Goma's star potential and arrange a work visa for him.

BBC's instant celebrity may be deported [Washington Times]
Previously: Guy Goma/Kewney on Consumerist