Several agriculture advocacy groups in Kansas are pushing back on recent activity by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the southwest quarter of the state.
On Saturday, the Kansas Farmers Union Board of Directors issued a call to “re-humanize” immigration policy after ICE raids in southwest Kansas, which it says “have caused significant disruption for families, communities and the agriculture economy.” The group says it favors improving the nation’s immigration system, which it says is “decades out of date,” and it says the legal pathways with any new immigration system need to be “paired with fair, dignified treatment for all workers.” The Farmers Union Board is now calling on Congress to make comprehensive immigration reform a top priority to “protect workers, support businesses, keep families together and create a reliable, affordable process to determine work eligibility for a growing economy.”
That statement followed a critical statement from the United Food and Commercial Workers, both at the international and regional level, from Thursday. The international statement says ICE-related disruptions have a direct impact on ag product safety, worker safety and product prices.
Also last week, several advocacy groups at the state and national levels urged federal officials to be transparent with these enforcement actions. The Kansas Livestock Association says ICE operations “having a massive chilling effect on the legal, documented, skilled workers that put beef on the table and keep the cattle supply chain moving. Additionally, these types of disruptions will lead to higher beef prices for consumers.” Kansas Livestock Association also issued a joint statement with Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and Texas Cattle Feeders Association, saying: “These disruptions come at a time of enhanced focus and pressure on the cattle and beef supply chain. They are a costly and unnecessary impact to cattle producers already suffering from unwelcome political interference to both the markets as well as the physical supply chain.”
Liberal Mayor Janeth Vazquez says dozens of people were detained since ICE began an operation there last week. Other ICE activity has been reported in Dodge City, Garden City, Scott City and Tribune. So far, there has been no confirmed ICE enforcement activity in or around Emporia.
US Senators Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran say ICE needs to coordinate with local law enforcement whenever it operates in Kansas, but they also echo Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s comments the operation is designed to find drug dealers, human traffickers and otherwise violent criminals.
Statement from Kansas Farmers Union Board of Directors
“Recent ICE raids in Southwest Kansas have caused significant disruption for families, communities, and the agricultural economy. While immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility, these actions have deeply affected the people who sustain our rural communities and the industries that rely on them.
“Immigrants are essential to Kansas agriculture and to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of our state. Kansas Farmers Union supports improving legal pathways for the specialized labor agriculture requires, paired with fair, dignified treatment for all workers.
“The root word of agriculture is “culture,” and immigrants have long brought so much to the culture of our communities – and to agriculture itself – for generations. We must work together to “re-humanize” immigration and agriculture policy versus the dehumanization that is currently taking place.
“The nation’s immigration system is decades out of date. We urge Congress to make comprehensive, bipartisan immigration reform a top priority. Reform must protect workers, support businesses, keep families together, and create a reliable, affordable process to determine work eligibility for a growing economy.
“For those wishing to help families affected by the recent raids, we encourage supporting trusted local efforts, including places of worship and community organizations such as Dodge City Church of the Nazarene https://dcnazarene.churchcenter.com/giving/to/help-ayuda and National Appleseed https://deportationpreparation.org/”
Statement from United Food and Commercial Workers Local 2 President Martin Rosas
“This is an unimaginably difficult time for our communities in Liberal and Dodge City. No one should have to live in fear of going to work, sending their kids to school, or shopping at the grocery store. We are gathering information about ICE’s presence and continue to offer support to UFCW Local 2 members and their families as we navigate this.”
Statement from UFCW International President Milton Jones
“We stand arm-in-arm with all UFCW members in Dodge City and Liberal, and condemn ICE’s presence in southwest Kansas. ICE’s targeting of these communities sows fear, instability, and chaos into the lives of those trying to make a living and feed our nation. Local economies cannot thrive unless people feel safe.
“These disruptions directly impact the safety of all workers and the supply of beef. If supply drops, prices will go up. At a time when working people are already struggling with record-high food costs, our country cannot afford the havoc that these inhumane policies wreak in our communities.”
Statement from Kansas Livestock Association
“KLA is closely monitoring reported ICE activity affecting southwest Kansas.
“Sudden workforce disruptions can create immediate animal-welfare, operational and economic consequences that extend well beyond an individual business. 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. Additionally, these types of disruptions will lead to higher beef prices for consumers.
“We urge federal officials to conduct enforcement actions in a lawful, orderly and transparent manner; respect due process; and communicate clearly with affected employers and communities.”
Joint statement from the Kansas Livestock Association, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and Texas Cattle Feeders Association
“The Kansas Livestock Association, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and Texas Cattle Feeders Association are closely monitoring reported U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity affecting agricultural communities in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas.
“Our organizations respect the responsibility of federal agencies to enforce the law. At the same time, cattle producers, feedyards, dairies, livestock markets, processors, and other rural businesses depend on a stable workforce to care for animals, protect food safety, and keep the beef supply chain operating. Sudden workforce disruptions can create immediate animal-welfare, operational, and economic consequences that extend well beyond an individual business. 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. Additionally, these types of disruptions will lead to higher beef prices for consumers.
“Reported impacts to our organizations throughout the past few days have been:
*Thousands of fed cattle slated for shipping to processors now delayed, resulting in millions of dollars in lost revenue and additional costs.
*Workforce disruptions at numerous supply chain chokepoints such as feedyards, dairies, processors, feed and grain companies, transportation hubs, and community services.
“These disruptions come at a time of enhanced focus and pressure on the cattle and beef supply chain. They are a costly and unnecessary impact to cattle producers already suffering from unwelcome political interference to both the markets as well as the physical supply chain. Frustratingly, the harm these actions cause to cattle producers last for days and weeks after such operations conclude.
“We urge federal officials to conduct enforcement actions in a lawful, orderly, and transparent manner; respect due process; and communicate clearly with affected employers and communities.”
Statement from US Senator Roger Marshall
“No one has been a stronger proponent of securing our borders and keeping our communities safe than I have. Open borders in the last administration vastly increased the number of dangerous illegal immigrants in our country. Our borders are thankfully now secure,” said Senator Marshall. “During the last two years, ICE and Kansas law enforcement have successfully worked together to remove violent criminals, human traffickers, and drug dealers. However, in recent days in Southwest Kansas, law enforcement officers were not given advance notice or the level of cooperation we would expect from ICE’s enforcement and removal operations. As a result, there have been mass disruptions to local communities and businesses. I have personally spoken with several sheriffs and chiefs of police who have shared their experiences this week. I relayed these concerns directly to DHS. We must keep our communities safe, but it has to be done in a responsible and secure manner.”
Statement from US Senator Jerry Moran
“I am hearing from Kansans about the increased federal law enforcement presence in southwest Kansas as ICE agents carry out warrants in the area. I visited with Secretary Mullin, stressing the importance of DHS working with our local law enforcement to safely execute these warrants. Secretary Mullin assured me these warrants are only for the purpose of arresting individuals who have been charged with criminal activities. I will remain engaged with federal and local authorities and community leaders.”
