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Ashley Hayes Reporting The issue of illegal immigration has taken front-seat over the past few weeks.
Federal agencies arrested thousands of immigrants working in meatpacking plants in a raid that involved six states, including Utah.
Today in downtown Salt Lake, the Latino community will rally together to support the families and workers effected by those raids.
This afternoon a group of Utah Latino, labor, and student organizations will rally downtown. Organizers say it will be the largest Latino gathering since the immigration march held last spring.
Since the raids, Nebraska and Colorado Swift plants are hiring fewer immigrants to replace arrested employees.
A union president in Nebraska said between 40 and 50 new workers have been hired, and the majority are Caucasian.
Some experts believe the raids will create a shortage of meatpackers, higher wages and higher prices for beef.
Agents arrested nearly 13-hundred people in six states. It was one of the largest nationwide immigration raids.
Representatives for Immigration and Customs Enforcement say the agency believes in its decision. They say a year long investigation led to the raids, and there is evidence the arrested immigrants used stolen identities to get jobs.
Those participating in todays rally in Utah are angry with the government. They are calling their gathering the workers' solidarity rally.
The purpose, they say, is to send a message to the government to stop raids on immigrant workers, stop separating their families, and put an end to racial profiling.
The rally in support of the detained immigrants will take place at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building on State Street and will begin at 4:30 pm.
