ICE Raids in Trump Country Cost Meatpackers Millions, Prompt GOP Pushback

Meatpacking plants in Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma have lost millions of dollars in revenue as recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations triggered worker absences and shipping delays at feedlots, dairy processors, and grain hubs, three state cattle groups said Friday.

The Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, and Kansas Livestock Association said in a joint statement that ICE activity has stalled the shipment of thousands of cattle. Plants in Dodge City, Liberal, and Garden City — southwest Kansas cities that process thousands of cattle daily — have temporarily shut down and returned animals to feedlots.

How badly has operations been disrupted?

Scarlett Mabinger, vice president of communications for the Kansas Livestock Association, told reporters that members logged sharp jumps in no-shows after federal officers appeared in their communities earlier this week.

"So then they're having to be returned back to the feed yard to wait, which, of course, causes an animal health issue, causes financial issues," she said.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed its presence in Kansas but said officers are not conducting worksite raids. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a statement that ICE has been "targeting heinous criminals," though he did not disclose arrest counts.

What are local communities reporting?

Amy Soberanes, a 25-year-old community organizer in Dodge City, has delivered food to residents too afraid to leave home. She said cleaning crews stopped showing up at some plants, forcing closures.

"I have worked with so many moms who have told me that they don't know what they're gonna do because their provider has been taken," Soberanes said. "I have seen kids cry to me because their mom and dad are gone."

The Kansas Livestock Association said it received no reports of worksite arrests, though community members noticed officers on Tuesday. Several affected Kansas counties have large Hispanic populations that grew over the past decade, fueled mostly by arrivals from Cuba and Haiti, according to federal data analyzed by The Associated Press. More than 65% of voters in those counties backed Donald Trump in the last election.

Are Republicans pushing back?

Two Kansas GOP senators, Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran, urged the administration to coordinate with local authorities. Marshall faces a tight reelection challenge against a Democrat.

"Secretary Mullin assured me these warrants are only for the purpose of arresting individuals who have been charged with criminal activities," Moran said in a statement on social media.

The administration's claim of targeting immigrants with criminal records runs against recent ICE data. In July, more than half of those arrested had no criminal convictions and faced no charges; less than a quarter had been convicted of a crime, according to figures cited by AP.

What does this mean for beef prices?

Beef prices already sit at record highs, driven by the smallest U.S. cattle herd in 75 years. The Trump administration has responded by reopening the Mexican border to cattle imports after a New World screwworm outbreak and allowing some tariff-free beef shipments.

Mabinger warned that any prolonged disruption could tighten supply further.

"If it continues for a long enough period of time, then it could therefore lead to increased prices, because we are not processing the amount of beef that consumers are currently demanding," she said.

The Kansas Livestock Association is calling for more targeted enforcement and greater transparency from federal officials as plants weigh whether absentee rates will hold through the fall run-up in cattle shipments.