Livestock producers from Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas are criticizing Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids that are shutting down or slowing critical meat-processing facilities.
The Kansas Livestock Association, Texas Cattle Feeders Association and the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association released a statement Friday that the raids are disrupting their workforce and will result in higher prices for consumers.
The raids are primarily centered in the Kansas cities of Garden City, Dodge City and Liberal, but have caused concern across the livestock industry. Ranchers frequently travel hundreds of miles to move cattle to a processing facility.
Scarlett Madinger, vice president of communications of the Kansas Livestock Association, said that ICE’s actions have caused employees to stay home. That has created a backlog of cattle that need to be culled and processed, she said, forcing ranchers to spend extra money transporting the cattle back to their feed yards.
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Along with the meat-processing facilities, local businesses across southwest Kansas closed temporarily. Madinger said ICE’s operations have “gotten out of hand” and created mass disruption and fear throughout southwest Kansas.
“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 three livestock associations said in the press release. “Additionally, these types of disruptions will lead to higher beef prices for consumers.“
The livestock groups made those comments as several Republican candidates in competitive races are criticizing the Trump administration’s immigration agenda.
The immigration operation has hit an industry already stretched thin. The nation’s cattle herd has been shrinking for years, and the number of beef cows is at its lowest point in decades. Ranchers are producing fewer calves each year, and industry analysts expect supplies to stay tight into 2027.
Ground beef hit a record of roughly $7 a pound this summer, with beef prices rising more than twice as fast as overall inflation. The Trump administration has tried to ease the squeeze by opening the door to more beef imports, a move that upset ranchers.
ICE’s actions have upset local leaders and drawn criticism from Kansas’ Republican senators.
“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,” Sen. Roger Marshall said in a statement.
Sen. Jerry Moran said he spoke with the Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and that DHS was only targeting those with criminal warrants. However, representatives from the livestock associations say mass raids have occurred.
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