An immigration raid in Iowa this spring cost taxpayers over five-million dollars. The May 12th raid at Agriprocessors in Postville was one of the largest in U.S. history. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released expenditure figures following a freedom of information request by the Des Moines Register.
Through August 21st, the agency spent more than five-point-two-million dollars on the investigation. That represents nearly $13,400 for each of the 389 illegal immigrants taken into custody. Two other agencies, the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Attorney’s office in Cedar Rapids, have not provided information about their costs.