By Azhley Rodriguez
Staff Writer
Lund-Gil Chair and visiting professor Luis Argueta gave Dominican students and the community a screening of his film, “abUSed: The Postville Raid,” followed by a Q&A Thursday night.
About 10 people gathered in the Martin Recital Hall to watch Guatemalan American film director, producer and visiting professor, Luis Argueta’s film, “abUSed: The Postville Raid.”
The two-hour documentary covers the aftermath of an immigration workplace raid at a meatpacking plant in Postville, Iowa on May 12, 2008.
“I went to Iowa thinking I was going to be there 1-4 days, instead I went for two weeks and went back 29 more times, and I went to Guatemala 17 times,” Argueta said. “It totally changed my life.”
At the time, Postville was a small town whose residents were a majority undocumented immigrants.
The day of the raid, nearly 400 undocumented immigrants who were working in the factory, most of which were Guatemalan, were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.
Argueta follows some of the immigrant workers whose lives were changed forever by the event, some of which were deported, or spent time in jail, following their trials. The documentary also included how the lives of the migrant’s children and families were changed.
“People think immigrants come and come and they take and take, but people don’t understand they come here to work.” Argueta said. “And it was proven right!”
The screening concluded with a Q&A time with the audience and Argueta.
Argueta has told the stories of transnational immigrants since 1977. He received the 2019 Harris Woffard Global Citizen award; the highest honor that can be given to a global leader from the National Peace Corps Association.
As an undocumented ally, he hopes to advocate and spread awareness in his teachings and films.
This film can be rented on DVD in the Rebecca Crown Library.
