Cattle ranchers in Nebraska, a state where President-elect Donald Trump won by 20 points, are concerned about one of his main campaign promises: mass deportations of immigrants. Trump has pledged to deport millions of immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, starting on his first day in office. He even mentioned using military resources to carry out these deportations by declaring a national emergency.
In Nebraska, where 58% of voters supported Trump, cattle ranchers are worried about how this plan will affect their workforce. Many of them rely on immigrant labor to help with various tasks on their ranches, such as feeding animals, cleaning pens, and processing meat.
Jerry Kuenning, a Nebraska rancher, explained that while he supports parts of Trump’s agenda, including enforcing immigration laws, he is concerned that mass deportations would cause serious problems for agriculture in the state. He said, “If they’re sent home, we’ll create a real void.” Kuenning also pointed out that the issue isn’t just about making immigrants legal but also about understanding how they can get legal status.
Governor Jim Pillen of Nebraska, along with more than two other governors, signed a letter pledging to work with the Trump administration. They promised to use state law enforcement and National Guard troops to help enforce immigration laws in their states.
Ranchers are worried that without immigrant workers, it will be difficult to keep their businesses running smoothly, and many are questioning how the government will handle the situation without harming the agriculture industry.
