Meatpacking Groups Say ICE Arrests Could Lead to Higher Prices and Revenue Loss
Industry groups said thousands of cattle shipments were delayed and millions of dollars in revenue were lost as workers missed shifts and plants slowed.
- Federal immigration agents fanned out across southwest Kansas this week, disrupting operations at beef processing plants in Dodge City and Liberal as workforce absences forced production slowdowns.
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities created a 'massive chilling effect' on immigrant workers essential to the cattle supply chain, threatening processing capacity as fear of arrest kept laborers away.
- US Department of Agriculture data shows meatpackers slaughtered 90,000 cattle on Thursday, down 16% from a week earlier, and 87,000 on Friday, down 14%, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue.
- Liberal Vice Mayor Janeth Vazquez described the city as a 'ghost town' as residents fear leaving homes, with businesses closing and school attendance dropping after agents targeted areas near plants.
- Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall called on Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to coordinate with local law enforcement, as market observers warn these disruptions could push record-high beef prices even higher.
110 Articles
110 Articles
Immigration Crackdown Hits Kansas Meatpacking Plants, Causing Drop in U.S. Cattle Slaughter
U.S. cattle slaughter dropped 16% in one week to an estimated 90,000 head on Thursday, Sept. 24, as fear of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity led to widespread workforce absenteeism at beef-processing plants in southwest Kansas, according to industry data [1]. By Friday, Sept. 25, slaughter numbers remained 14% below the previous week’s levels, […]
Learn how ICE raids affect the beef chain in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas, with delays and potential price hikes.
ABC News Blames ICE Raids for Increasing Prices of Beef
ABC News Blames ICE Raids for Increasing Prices of Beef ABC via SnapStream On Sunday, ABC’s World News Tonight With David Muir tried to tie the deportation of illegal immigrants to the public’s irritation with prices and blamed the rising cost of beef on ICE raids and stoked fears the administration was targeting legal, documented meat packing workers. Desperate for a story, ABC correspondent Steve Portnoy condemned President Trump for the risin…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
