ICE Enforcement Hits Kansas Meatpacking Operations, Ranchers Say

Increased actions by US immigration enforcement are creating significant disruption to beefpacking operations in Kansas, an area where nearly all of the country’s major processors have operations.

(Bloomberg) -- Increased actions by US immigration enforcement are creating significant disruption to beefpacking operations in Kansas, an area where nearly all of the country’s major processors have operations.

Thousands of cattle set to be shipped to beef processors have been affected by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity, according to a joint statement from rancher industry groups. Disruptions have also been reported at “numerous supply chain chokepoints” from beef processors to feed and grain companies, according to the statement.

“These ICE operations are having a massive chilling effect on the legal, documented, skilled workers that put beef on the table and keep the cattle supply chain moving,” the Kansas Livestock Association, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and Texas Cattle Feeders Association said.

The disruptions come at a time when the US is already struggling with tight beef supplies due to a small cattle herd, sending consumer prices up to record highs. Much of the US’s meat industry depends on immigrant labor: 45% of meatpacking workers at the start of the pandemic were foreign-born, according to the American Immigration Council. 

ICE has been stepping up its arrest efforts in recent months following a spring lull in the wake of deadly shootings that killed two US citizens in January. In July and August, ICE agents recorded roughly 50,000 arrests a month, according to federal arrest data and disclosures from the Department of Homeland Security.

ICE has changed its operational approach, moving away from deployments of federal agents to target a particular city. Instead, newly expanded ranks are spreading out across the country, looking for those wanted for deportation but also arresting anyone they suspect of being in the country without permission.

The Department of Homeland Security and ICE didn’t respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson from the United Food and Commercial Workers said employees at Cargill Inc. and National Beef have been detained. The actions took place in the surrounding community, the spokesperson said Friday, adding that immigration officials attempted but were unable to enter the parking lots of meatpacking facilities because they lacked warrants. 

There has been a “significant downfall” in operations in the area’s plants, due to upticks in employee absences, the spokesperson said. 

National cattle slaughter figures totaled 90,000 on Thursday, according to the US Department of Agriculture, down 17,000 from a week ago.

Kansas is the second-largest state for commercial cattle processing. More than half a million cattle were slaughtered there in August, representing more than 20% of the US’s processing that month, according to a USDA report Thursday.

National Beef, owned by Brazil’s MBRF Global Foods Co., and Cargill both have operations in Dodge City, and National Beef also operates in Liberal. Tyson Foods Inc. also has a plant in Holcomb.

Cargill declined to comment. National Beef and Tyson did not respond to a request for comment.