Raided meatpacking plant is heavily fined
A kosher meatpacking plant that was the site of one of the nation’s largest immigration raids was fined nearly $10 million over accusations that it violated state labor laws.
Iowa Labor Commissioner Dave Neil assessed the civil penalties against Agriprocessors in Postville for what he called repeated violations of wage laws from January 2006 to June 2008.
The fines are the latest trouble for Agriprocessors since the raid in which 389 people were arrested.
In September, the plant owner and managers were charged with 9,311 misdemeanors alleging they illegally hired minors and let children younger than 16 handle dangerous equipment. The complaint filed by the Iowa attorney general’s office said the violations involved 32 illegal-immigrant children younger than 18, including seven who were not yet 16.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
