Western Kansas towns respond to expanding ICE enforcement
Immigration enforcement operations are spreading across western Kansas, moving beyond initial actions in Garden City, Liberal and Dodge City to reach smaller communities including Great Bend and Scott City, creating widespread concern among residents and disrupting operations at major employers.
The enforcement actions have targeted communities where four major beef packing plants employ over 10,000 residents, many of whom are immigrants. These facilities form the economic backbone of the region, where the meatpacking industry has relied on immigrant labor since the 1980s, initially recruiting Southeast Asian refugees and more recently workers from Mexico, Central America and Africa.
Alejandro Rangel-Lopez, an organizer with New Frontiers, described the scope of the operations as unprecedented. We've never been in this scenario before, where we have multiple enforcement actions happening all over the place, all at the same time.
The scale of the enforcement became apparent when a plane departed from the Garden City airport carrying ICE detainees. Community organizers estimate more than 50 people were taken during the raids, based on the aircraft's capacity. We don't have an exact number for the entire region. Like I said, that plane had a capacity of 50 to 60 people,
Rangel-Lopez noted.
Operations Disrupt Daily Life and Business
ICE agents established operational bases at multiple local facilities, including county courthouses in Liberal, 4-H grounds in Garden City, and the Western State Bank Expo in Dodge City. Staff at the Western State Bank Expo asked federal agents to leave upon learning of their presence at the facility.
Immigration advocates reported witnessing unmarked vans parked near processing facilities, stopping people traveling to and from work. One advocate personally witnessed three arrests and observed five to six other people being pulled over throughout a single day.
The enforcement actions forced immediate adjustments to business operations. National Beef plant in Liberal sent messages to employees alerting them to altered starting times and instructing them to contact supervisors to confirm schedules.
Community Impact and Response
The impact extends throughout Garden City, where 55.7% of the population is Hispanic, making it one of the most diverse communities in Kansas. Census data shows that 27.9% of Garden City residents were born outside the country, and 85.1% are U.S. citizens, compared to the national average of 93.2%.
Shelby Hermosillo and Michelle Jones, organizers with Scott City Committed Kansas Activists, emphasized the fear pervading entire communities. We are not just talking about anybody that is undocumented, it's everybody that is of color. Brown people don't want to leave their homes. Hispanic people don't want to leave their homes. They are afraid.
Garden City Public Schools issued a letter to parents acknowledging the stress felt throughout the district and noting that uncertainty outside of school can make learning difficult.
Community members are organizing demonstrations in different towns to show support for those affected by the immigration raids. We want to give this community a place to use their voice and say we don't want this in our community,
Jones said.
Lawmaker and Law Enforcement Response
Kansas lawmakers have expressed concern about how the enforcement was handled. Sen. Jerry Moran said he contacted Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, who assured him the warrants were for people charged with criminal activity. Sen. Roger Marshall said he hoped ICE would have better communication with local law enforcement agencies to avoid confusion.
Law enforcement departments in many western communities reported they never received information from ICE about the immigration enforcement operations, despite the Finney County Sheriff's Office having a 287(g) agreement with ICE that allows immigration officers to execute administrative warrants in the county's custody.
Community organizers say they plan to continue supporting affected residents. We are just taking care of each other as we know best. That is what we do in small towns, and we will keep doing that,
Rangel-Lopez said.
