Postville may not qualify for disaster aid

[ymarkov]

The Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division expressed doubt Tuesday that it could provide assistance following the Postville City Council's declaration of the town as a humanitarian and economic disaster area. Disaster declarations are based on natural emergencies, "so I don't know how that would qualify," said division spokesman Bret Voorhees.

The resolution, passed unanimously by the council Monday night, was sent to state officials Tuesday in an effort to secure financial assistance for the community devastated after a May 12 federal immigration raid that led to the recent closing of town's leading employer, kosher meatpacker Agriprocessors Inc.

Voorhees acknowledged the community is "certainly facing economic stress," and said the division will review Postville's request. "But it would appear they would not be eligible for our assistance," he said.

Full article here.

Comments

[disbalanced.livejournal.com]

“It’s a man-made disaster,” said Aaron Goldsmith, a former Postville city councilman and frequent spokesman for the community. “It’s as if we were hit by the Katrina flood. It doesn’t discriminate. The economic impact of the shutdown has hurt Jew and gentile alike, suppliers, sub-suppliers, the city’s infrastructure and the general morale of the broader community.”

[doresh-tziyon.livejournal.com]

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