A widespread Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation continued across southwest Kansas last week. Residents in Dodge City, Garden City, Liberal and the surrounding areas are on edge, according to people interviewed by The Midwest Newsroom and Kansas News Service.
There are unconfirmed reports that ICE agents have detained people at local meat processing plants. About 22% of the nation’s grain-fed beef supply sits in this region, according to the Kansas Livestock Association and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Kansas statistics.
City and state officials, including U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, said they had no prior notice before the raids began. According to Liberal Vice Mayor Janeth Vazquez, dozens of people have been detained since the enforcement operation began early in the week. So far, ICE has not provided local officials with information regarding the exact number of those arrested.
“We first became aware of the operation Monday night, and since then, unfortunately, our community has been living with tremendous fear, and a lot of people are just absolutely terrified to leave their home,” Vazquez told The Midwest Newsroom.
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas posted on X Wednesday evening that he spoke with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. He said Mullin assured him that ICE is working with local law enforcement to target those with warrants for criminal activities.
IN RESPONSE to a question from the Kansas News Service about the southwest Kansas enforcement operation, ICE emailed examples of what they referred to as “the worst of the worst,” a list of undocumented immigrants with criminal histories that have been deported in the Kansas City area.
However, Kathleen Alonso, an immigrant rights advocate for the organization New Frontiers, said she followed up with families after their loved ones were detained.
“The family shared that they had no criminal records,” Alonso said.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 2 union representing plant workers at National Beef released a statement condemning what they call “ICE chaos.”
National Beef has facilities in Dodge City and Liberal, with more than 2,500 members at the Dodge City location.
“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,” the union’s statement said.
This comes just weeks after the group secured a new wage increase contract with the plant.
Vazquez said the situation in Liberal and surrounding towns is indescribable. At Meadowlark Elementary School, 120 students missed school on Wednesday, she said.
“This is something that you see in the news, and this is something that small towns in southwest Kansas would never imagine could happen to them,” Vazquez said.
COMMUNITY members have organized on social media. Some have offered to buy groceries for neighbors who fear leaving their homes. Others said they are willing to drive children to and from school.
City leaders said many businesses have closed for the week. Workers are also missing shifts at the local meat processing plants in the region out of fear. Social media accounts reviewed by The Midwest Newsroom are full of descriptions of ICE agent sightings across the region.
