Lawyers and churches providing a safety net for detained poultry workers

Lawyers and churches providing a safety net for detained poultry workers
By E. Richard Walton • STAFF WRITER • October 10, 2008

A group of 45 people say they will assist the Alliance for Collaboration with the Hispanic Community, a non-profit that will attempt to provide a safety net for the families of the 350 workers arrested in a raid at the Columbia Poultry Farm, a processing plant.


The raid was conducted after a 10-month investigation by more than 400 agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement. About 10-12 of the plant’s supervisors were also taken into custody, authorities said.

The volunteers met Thursday to identify lawyers, counselors, educators, English-Spanish interpreters, organize fund-raising, assign media coordinators and identify who would care for children of the workers now jailed. Much of the information about the safety net will be communicated via two Hispanic radio stations and word of mouth, organizers said.

Most of those involved say they know what supports are needed.

"Based on past experience, the families will require a great deal of support from the churches and charities for food and rent" for those impacted by the raid, according to a memo distributed at the session.

Lawyers from the Attorneys from the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the America Civil Liberties Union, South Carolina Legal Services and others are pitching in, said Amy E. Shelley, an attorney with Allen C. Ladd, P.C..

She said there were calls from lawyers in Mississippi and Iowa, where there also were immigration raids.

"This is one of the biggest ICE raids this year," Shelley said.
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