JBS Plant Could Lose 200 Workers

The mayor of Ottumwa, Iowa, broke the news to many people in town that 200 employees at the town’s pork processing and distribution facility owned by JBS would no longer have their work visas. Without that legal protection, they would likely have to leave the country immediately.

It is another development in the Trump administration’s focus on removing some foreign-born workers who lack permanent legal status.

The workers at the JBS plant originated from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, according to the mayor. The plant employs about 2,000 people, making it a significant employer in the town of 25,000 people.

Temporary Protected Status Targeted by Trump Administration

The Trump administration has targeted the federal designation of Temporary Protected Status, which granted legal protections to immigrants from other countries that faced ongoing violence, environmental disaster, or political crisis.

The American Association of Meat Processors (AAMP) is urging its members to contact members of Congress to convince the Trump administration to stop raids on meatpacking facilities.

The email from AAMP stated, “Our industry, from farm to processor, relies heavily on the immigrant workforce to be able to accomplish the work of feeding Americans. We would also like for you to ask them to solve this long-term issue by working on true comprehensive immigration reform, making the path to citizenship easier for those who are here, contributing to society.”

The email request added, “Our immigration system is severely broken, and Congress continues to kick the can down the road. It is time to fix this issue.”