Hundreds of JBS pork workers face job loss, deportation

Hundreds of immigrant workers at a major pork processing plant in Ottumwa, Iowa, are facing abrupt job termination and possible deportation, following the rollback of U.S. immigration protections that once allowed them to live and work legally in the country.

Ottumwa Mayor Rick Johnson addressed the city council on July 15, confirming that meatpacking giant JBS has begun meeting with workers originally from Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua to inform them that their jobs are being terminated. In those meetings, workers are told they must leave the country immediately, he said.

The job losses stem from the expiration or revocation of immigration programs that once granted temporary legal status to nationals of crisis-affected countries. Over 200 employees at the Ottumwa facility have reportedly received termination letters over the past six weeks.

“These people have work visas, but they’ve been revoked and the Supreme Court has upheld those revocations,” Johnson told the council.



The workers’ employment eligibility was tied to legal protections such as Temporary Protected Status and the CHNV parole programs — initiatives created to offer safe haven to individuals from countries plagued by political upheaval or natural disasters. The programs were wound down or limited under the Trump administration, leaving affected individuals without legal work authorization.

According to Brian Ulin, a representative of the United Food & Commercial Workers Local 230, which represents JBS employees in Ottumwa, JBS has told impacted workers that their immigration status was rejected by the company’s verification system. “It said that they were no longer eligible to work in the U.S.,” Ulin told NBC News.

Paulina Ocegueda, vice president of the local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizensem pointed to the impact on families. “They came here legally and they were doing it the right way,” she said.

The Trump administration defended its immigration stance, arguing that temporary protections had been misused. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson commented: “President Trump is enforcing federal immigration law and fulfilling his promise to the American people to end the exploitation of temporary programs — like TPS and CHNV — that were never intended to be a path to permanent status or citizenship.”

JBS spokesperson Nikki Richardson confirmed  that the company adheres strictly to federal guidelines. In a statement to NBC News, she said, “We are focused on hiring team members who are legally authorized to work in the United States, and will continue to follow the guidance provided to us by the U.S. government.”

She also noted that affected workers could be rehired if their legal status changes: “If their status changes or they have different documentation to share, they are eligible for reinstatement and/or rehire.”

Despite limited resources, the union is reportedly working to connect affected employees with legal support. Some workers had only recently joined the company, while others had been long-time staff members, Ulin said.