{"id":20134,"date":"2019-08-09T15:05:12","date_gmt":"2019-08-09T23:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/chicken-plants-see-little-fallout-from-immigration-raids\/"},"modified":"2019-08-09T15:05:12","modified_gmt":"2019-08-09T23:05:12","slug":"chicken-plants-see-little-fallout-from-immigration-raids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.info\/content\/chicken-plants-see-little-fallout-from-immigration-raids\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicken Plants See Little Fallout From Immigration Raids"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Scott Horsley<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

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\n A trailer loaded with chickens passes a federal agent outside a Koch Foods plant in Morton, Miss., on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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Rogelio V. Solis\/AP<\/p>\n

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Rogelio V. Solis\/AP<\/p>\n

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Federal agents carried out one of the largest immigration raids in recent history this week, arresting nearly 700 workers at chicken processing plants in Mississippi. <\/p>\n

But you can still buy a rotisserie bird at your local supermarket tonight for less than $10.<\/p>\n

So far, the government crackdown has had little effect on the wider food processing industry, a dangerous business that is heavily reliant on immigrant labor.<\/p>\n

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The Trump administration says its crackdown helps discourage illegal immigration. But workers’ advocates warn it leaves vulnerable employees open to exploitation and unsafe working conditions.<\/p>\n

“Americans really need to think about where their chicken and where their beef and their pork comes from and really demand that the industry raise labor standards,” says Debbie Berkowitz, who directs a health and safety program at the National Employment Law Project. <\/p>\n

Authorities raided seven Mississippi poultry plants on Wednesday, arresting 680 people<\/a> suspected of living in the country illegally. So far, no charges have been brought against the five companies that run the plants, although federal officials say that could change as the investigation is ongoing.<\/p>\n