Overview
- U.S. Department of Agriculture data show a sharp short‑term drop in slaughter with an estimated 90,000 cattle processed on Thursday, about 16% fewer than a week earlier.
- The Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Kansas Livestock Association and Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association said recent enforcement has delayed shipments of thousands of fed cattle and caused millions of dollars in lost revenue.
- Community organizers and local officials reported ICE officers stopping motorists and patrolling near plants in southwest Kansas, which industry sources say scared many immigrant workers away from shifts and forced some plants to slow or send cattle back to feedyards.
- The Department of Homeland Security confirmed its presence in the region but said it was not conducting worksite raids, and Kansas senators urged clearer coordination after DHS officials said arrests targeted individuals with criminal warrants.
- The disruptions come as the national herd is at decades‑low levels and retail beef prices are at record highs, a combination that could push consumer prices higher and create longer lasting operational and animal‑welfare problems if enforcement continues.