The immigration raids which are dividing families and negatively impacting local economies just don’t seem to stop. After raids across the South, now a Midwestern town trembles as rumors swirl that it may be next on the list. The tiny town of Perry, Iowa, home to the Tyson chicken plant fears it may be next. Reports AP:

When Mayor Viivi Shirley watched TV news reports of the Postville raid, one of her first thoughts was, “Thank God it wasn’t Perry.”

Soon after hearing about the raid at Agriprocessors, where more than half the employees were found to be illegal immigrants, Shirley sought out the Tyson plant’s manager to ask about the legal status of its workers.

Tyson, of course, denies that is has employed any undocumented immigrants. I find that extremely hard to believe, and somehow I don’t see ICE buying it either.

We’ve been reporting on these raids as they happen over the last couple of months and looking at them one by one. But now I’m wondering what the big picture is. What was the push for these to start up this year? Who, specifically, is behind this initiative? And what — if any — impact will the presidential elections have on these raids?

What do you think?

Via / AP