Two hundred meatpacking employees from Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela have been told their U.S. work authorization is over—and that they must leave the country. The surprise notices, announced at a July 15 Ottumwa City Council meeting, hit roughly one in ten workers at the JBS pork plant.
Mayor Rick Johnson said the company will sit down with each affected employee and follow up by letter, “so they know their job is finished and they have to get arrangements made.” Many workers own homes and cars in Iowa, raising the hard question: how do you pack up an entire life overnight?
City officials warn sudden job loss will ripple across the entire Ottumwa community
Local leaders fear a cascade of effects on landlords, schools and small businesses. “These folks buy groceries, pay taxes, coach Little League,” the mayor reminded residents. Social‑service groups are already asking congregations to provide temporary housing and storage space.
Workers from Haiti Cuba Nicaragua and Venezuela face urgent relocation decisions amid tight deadlines. The cancellations flow from the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for several countries, a shift the Supreme Court allowed to stand. Employees who cannot secure another visa could receive departure orders within weeks, immigration attorneys warn.
Visa cancellations tied to changes in Temporary Protected Status create confusion for plant employees and families
TPS once shielded people from unstable homelands; ending it under the Trump administration triggered a broader enforcement push. Immigration and Customs Enforcement logged 32,809 arrests in the president’s first 50 days, and farm‑sector raids have resumed.
Community support groups mobilize while legal options remain limited and uncertain for many households: Neighborhood nonprofits are collecting gift cards and arranging pro bono counsel. Johnson urged residents to “keep those people in our prayers” but also pressed JBS for clarity on severance and relocation help. The company has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Key data at a glance
- 200 visa revocations issued July 15
- Four nationalities affected: Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela
- Ottumwa plant workforce: roughly 2,000
- Immigrants in U.S. meatpacking: about 42 percent
- ICE enforcement arrests early 2017: 32,809
| Data point | Value |
|---|---|
| Employees receiving notices | 200 |
| Total plant workforce | ~2,000 |
| Countries named in notices | Haiti, Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela |
| Share of immigrant meatpacking workers | ~42 % |
| ICE arrests in first 50 days | 32,809 |
So what happens next? Attorneys urge workers to gather pay stubs, update mailing addresses with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and explore any family‑based petitions. Community leaders plan a resource fair later this month to match families with legal aid, storage units and—if the worst comes—one‑way bus tickets.