Ruthie Hendrycks and Ernesto Bustos each made the long drive to Postville, Iowa, Sunday because of their passionate interest in the immigration controversy.

Despite the 350-mile round-trip, however, they didn’t share a ride.

Hendrycks, of rural Hanska, is the founder and president of an organization that adamantly opposes illegal immigration and isn’t predisposed to large numbers of legal immigrants either.

Bustos, a former Minnesota State University student and community organizer in Owatonna, believes current immigrants — legal and illegal — are an integral part of the American economy and are just the latest chapter in a centuries-old story of American immigration going back to Plymouth Rock.

Both were drawn to Postville for a rally organized by Jewish and Catholic leaders to express support for immigration reform and fair labor practices for existing immigrants. The small Iowa town was the site of the massive raid in May by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, who arrested nearly 400 workers at a meatpacking plant.

Bustos, who works for Centro Campesino, was there in support of the rally, offering workshops on immigration history in an attempt to connect Americans to the immigrant roots of their ancestors. He said more than 800 people demonstrated their support for the children, relatives and friends of the arrested workers.

“There is a strong message of community and unity sent to the families,” he said. “For them to see so many people, so many other families, it was a very strong message for them.”

Hendrycks and others from Minnesotans Seeking Immigration Reform were staging a counter protest, letting the assembled media see the other side of the story — that many Americans are fed up with immigration policies. Estimates of the number of counter protesters ranged from 50 to 150.

“We got our word out,” Hendrycks said. “We will not be silenced.”

They needed a leader

Even as immigration seems to have faded this year as a campaign issue, the strong feelings felt by many were in evidence at the event. And intense attitudes remain in south-central Minnesota as longtime residents see immigration changing the face of the region.

Hendrycks seems an unlikely ringleader of people opposing illegal immigration. A dental hygienist living in rural Hanska, she said she’d been concerned about illegal immigrants (she prefers “illegal aliens”) for some time before deciding to get active three years ago.

“Instead of being one of those who continues to complain and be vocal and do nothing, I got involved,” Hendrycks said. “We found out there were so many people who had the same idea but had no idea how to express their opinion. They needed a leader.”

So she formed Minnesotans Seeking Immigration Reform. There were 10 people at the first meeting, 50 at the second, she said. Now it’s a statewide organization with some members from other states. Hendrycks said there are more than 350 members.

The group took a bus to Postville, meeting in Owatonna and picking up others along the way. The group’s goal is to “educate, activate and motivate people to get involved,” she said.