Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 2 and the UFCW International Union released statements in response to the increased presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in southwest Kansas.
UFCW Local 2 President Martin Rosas said:
“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.”
UFCW International President Milton Jones said:
“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.”
BACKGROUND
- A recent report from the AFL-CIO found that if the mass deportation plans being executed by the Trump administration continue, nearly 6 million jobs, nearly half of which are currently held by U.S. citizens, could be wiped out. It’s estimated that mass deportations could raise prices by 9.1 percent by 2028.
- Immigration enforcement, operating out of unmarked cars, in Kansas has targeted U.S. citizens for I.D. checks. The presence of ICE can spread fear and cause many workers to stay home, including workers with permanent residence and work authorization, and even people born in this country with citizenship. In Chicago last year, school attendance dropped as ICE patrolled neighborhoods.
- In cities where ICE arrests increased fastest in 2025, employment fell .4 percent below its expected trajectory, and not just among immigrants, but among native-born Americans as well. Based on arrest and job loss data, for every arrest made, four jobs were lost. Immigrants with no criminal record are now the largest group in U.S. immigration detention.
