Simone Foxman

Jodi says the layoffs were brutal. So many people worked at this plant. It was the town's biggest employer. They didn't know where they were going to go to find jobs.

Jodi says the layoffs were brutal. So many people worked at this plant. It was the town's biggest employer. They didn't know where they were going to go to find jobs.

Because Jodi worked for the union, she helped negotiate a plant closing agreement, basically severance for the workers. They got $1,700 plus vacations and holidays paid out.

Because Jodi worked for the union, she helped negotiate a plant closing agreement, basically severance for the workers. They got $1,700 plus vacations and holidays paid out.

But Jodi says most people didn't want to go. They told her that the pay was going to be worse. And a lot of the people who worked at the plant have kids in school. They're settled. They like Perry. They don't want to pick up and move hours and hours away. I mean, it's a great town. Friendly people. I think it's a nice little town.

But Jodi says most people didn't want to go. They told her that the pay was going to be worse. And a lot of the people who worked at the plant have kids in school. They're settled. They like Perry. They don't want to pick up and move hours and hours away. I mean, it's a great town. Friendly people. I think it's a nice little town.

Tyson told a reporter that 200 of the roughly 1,200 people laid off relocated to take jobs at other Tyson facilities.

Tyson told a reporter that 200 of the roughly 1,200 people laid off relocated to take jobs at other Tyson facilities.

Perry, Iowa also has a lot of recent immigrants living there, people who moved to Perry to work at the plant. Jody says when they would make printouts about the union, they had to use interpreters. They'd print everything out in a dozen languages.

Perry, Iowa also has a lot of recent immigrants living there, people who moved to Perry to work at the plant. Jody says when they would make printouts about the union, they had to use interpreters. They'd print everything out in a dozen languages.

Tyson, for their part, has never made a secret of the fact that they hire from this range of people. They say that 35 percent of their workforce are immigrants.

Tyson, for their part, has never made a secret of the fact that they hire from this range of people. They say that 35 percent of their workforce are immigrants.

A few months after we went to Tennessee to speak with Kamikaro, the man from Venezuela who is working at the Tyson plant, we decided to check back in with him. Good afternoon. How are you? Kamakaro says things at the plant got kind of chaotic for him. For a while there, his friends had been telling him, we're worried about what will happen when President Trump takes office.

A few months after we went to Tennessee to speak with Kamikaro, the man from Venezuela who is working at the Tyson plant, we decided to check back in with him. Good afternoon. How are you? Kamakaro says things at the plant got kind of chaotic for him. For a while there, his friends had been telling him, we're worried about what will happen when President Trump takes office.

So in February of last year, Simone goes to an office in lower Manhattan. She's there to report on this meeting between a group of migrants from Mexico and Colombia and Venezuela and representatives from Tyson, the meat company.

So in February of last year, Simone goes to an office in lower Manhattan. She's there to report on this meeting between a group of migrants from Mexico and Colombia and Venezuela and representatives from Tyson, the meat company.

He says they didn't give me an explanation. They said, we'll call you, you can apply again in six months. They just told me what they told me.

He says they didn't give me an explanation. They said, we'll call you, you can apply again in six months. They just told me what they told me.

Yeah, Tyson is one of the largest meatpacking companies in the country. They have over 220 facilities. And they are constantly opening and closing plants. Over the last decade, Tyson opened or expanded 17 facilities. A bacon plant, a distribution center, an incubation center. But they also closed 18 of their large facilities.

Yeah, Tyson is one of the largest meatpacking companies in the country. They have over 220 facilities. And they are constantly opening and closing plants. Over the last decade, Tyson opened or expanded 17 facilities. A bacon plant, a distribution center, an incubation center. But they also closed 18 of their large facilities.

Thanks to Just Capital for their help with research, and to Alice Stryver, Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, Stacey Preston, Rachel Wacker, and all of the people we spoke with while we were in Tennessee. I'm Carlos Garcia.

Thanks to Just Capital for their help with research, and to Alice Stryver, Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, Stacey Preston, Rachel Wacker, and all of the people we spoke with while we were in Tennessee. I'm Carlos Garcia.

Inside, there were translators and interviewers, some people from Tyson...

Inside, there were translators and interviewers, some people from Tyson...

Tyson did a few rounds of hiring in New York. Their stated goal was that they would hire 2,500 asylum seekers and refugees this way, some of whom would be added to the workforce at their plant in Tennessee, which was already a mix of American-born workers and recent immigrants.

Tyson did a few rounds of hiring in New York. Their stated goal was that they would hire 2,500 asylum seekers and refugees this way, some of whom would be added to the workforce at their plant in Tennessee, which was already a mix of American-born workers and recent immigrants.

The headline reads, Tyson is hiring New York immigrants for jobs no one else wants.

The headline reads, Tyson is hiring New York immigrants for jobs no one else wants.

That Wall Street Journal article was not about adding workers, but about subtracting them. Tyson was closing a plant in Perry, Iowa and laying off almost all of the roughly 1,200 workers.

That Wall Street Journal article was not about adding workers, but about subtracting them. Tyson was closing a plant in Perry, Iowa and laying off almost all of the roughly 1,200 workers.

The country is in the middle of a reckoning over immigration. In particular, about the millions of people who came across the southern border in the past few years. This has been the largest influx of immigrants this country has ever seen. And it's raised questions about the impact of immigrant workers on American jobs.

The country is in the middle of a reckoning over immigration. In particular, about the millions of people who came across the southern border in the past few years. This has been the largest influx of immigrants this country has ever seen. And it's raised questions about the impact of immigrant workers on American jobs.

She started working on the story in February. It was about Tyson Foods, the enormous company that makes chicken nuggets and ground beef and pork chops. They were in New York City to hire some of the migrants who had come to the U.S. in the last few years. What kind of job was Tyson hiring for?

She started working on the story in February. It was about Tyson Foods, the enormous company that makes chicken nuggets and ground beef and pork chops. They were in New York City to hire some of the migrants who had come to the U.S. in the last few years. What kind of job was Tyson hiring for?

This is a clip of Jesse Waters from Fox.

This is a clip of Jesse Waters from Fox.

The show then turns to an interview with then Ohio Senator and now Vice President J.D. Vance. who says that what Tyson is doing with these two factories is just one example of what he sees as a much larger problem.

The show then turns to an interview with then Ohio Senator and now Vice President J.D. Vance. who says that what Tyson is doing with these two factories is just one example of what he sees as a much larger problem.

This take went viral on social media. There was talk of a boycott of Tyson, a conservative investment firm divested from the company. And an advocacy group set up by Stephen Miller, the Trump campaign's main advisor on immigration, filed a number of complaints.

This take went viral on social media. There was talk of a boycott of Tyson, a conservative investment firm divested from the company. And an advocacy group set up by Stephen Miller, the Trump campaign's main advisor on immigration, filed a number of complaints.

While Tyson didn't want to talk about hiring refugees and asylum seekers in New York, one of their new workers was willing to speak with us.

While Tyson didn't want to talk about hiring refugees and asylum seekers in New York, one of their new workers was willing to speak with us.

Kamakaro, he's got this kind of hip haircut, and he's wearing a black I Heart NYC hoodie. We clearly woke them up, and he seemed a little tired at first.

Kamakaro, he's got this kind of hip haircut, and he's wearing a black I Heart NYC hoodie. We clearly woke them up, and he seemed a little tired at first.

Camacaro told us he's from a pretty big city in Venezuela and that he was in New York for a few months. When he was hired to work in Tennessee, he didn't really know what to expect. He pictured fields. Campo.

Camacaro told us he's from a pretty big city in Venezuela and that he was in New York for a few months. When he was hired to work in Tennessee, he didn't really know what to expect. He pictured fields. Campo.

Sure. Now, when Kamikaro was living in Venezuela, back in the day, he worked for the Hugo Chavez government.

Sure. Now, when Kamikaro was living in Venezuela, back in the day, he worked for the Hugo Chavez government.

Could you imagine that one day you would end up in the U.S.? No.

Could you imagine that one day you would end up in the U.S.? No.

To get to the U.S., he made the trek through the Darien Gap, the notoriously dangerous 60 miles of rainforest between Colombia and Panama. He then got stuck in Mexico for a couple of months. Camacaro finally crossed the border to the U.S. in October 2023. He applied for asylum and was given a work permit while he waits for his case to be heard.

To get to the U.S., he made the trek through the Darien Gap, the notoriously dangerous 60 miles of rainforest between Colombia and Panama. He then got stuck in Mexico for a couple of months. Camacaro finally crossed the border to the U.S. in October 2023. He applied for asylum and was given a work permit while he waits for his case to be heard.

He'd spend some of his time going to churches and soup kitchens, and he was given a lot of donations of clothing. They had too many clothes, so they would sell what they didn't need.

He'd spend some of his time going to churches and soup kitchens, and he was given a lot of donations of clothing. They had too many clothes, so they would sell what they didn't need.

He heard about it from a friend, went to an office building in Manhattan. He says there was an application, drug test. They checked his work permit. And that day, Kamikaro was one of the people who got a job offer.

He heard about it from a friend, went to an office building in Manhattan. He says there was an application, drug test. They checked his work permit. And that day, Kamikaro was one of the people who got a job offer.

He told his wife, I just signed. Come on, let's go. No turning back.

He told his wife, I just signed. Come on, let's go. No turning back.

They get to Tennessee and are staying in the motel that Tyson set them up with. Finally, Kamikaro has his first day at work. His first day was cold. He didn't know to bundle up. He was just in a t-shirt and thought he might die of the cold.

They get to Tennessee and are staying in the motel that Tyson set them up with. Finally, Kamikaro has his first day at work. His first day was cold. He didn't know to bundle up. He was just in a t-shirt and thought he might die of the cold.

He says, think of all the migrants in New York right now. A lot of them don't have jobs. He says he's one of the privileged ones. He got a job.

He says, think of all the migrants in New York right now. A lot of them don't have jobs. He says he's one of the privileged ones. He got a job.

Now we heard this and we were like, what kind of protections do workers have at the plant?

Now we heard this and we were like, what kind of protections do workers have at the plant?

No, none of that. Nobody's mentioned any unions. None of that. And if there were unions, he wouldn't want to be a part of it.

No, none of that. Nobody's mentioned any unions. None of that. And if there were unions, he wouldn't want to be a part of it.

So he says he isn't going to complain about anything to his bosses. He's not going to join a union. And he's not going to quit. The benefits of this job outweigh the negatives, the pain in his hands and the danger. For him, this is reliable, well-paid work.

So he says he isn't going to complain about anything to his bosses. He's not going to join a union. And he's not going to quit. The benefits of this job outweigh the negatives, the pain in his hands and the danger. For him, this is reliable, well-paid work.

Now, to get a sense of how the people being laid off in Perry, Iowa, understood what had happened, we called up someone who worked at that plant. Her name is Jody Wells.

Now, to get a sense of how the people being laid off in Perry, Iowa, understood what had happened, we called up someone who worked at that plant. Her name is Jody Wells.

Now, this was all taking place at this moment when New York was receiving a huge influx of migrants. About 175,000 people had arrived. A lot of them were looking for work.

Now, this was all taking place at this moment when New York was receiving a huge influx of migrants. About 175,000 people had arrived. A lot of them were looking for work.

Jodi thought maybe a union would help protect her from getting fired when she talked back or swore. I really do want to know what your favorite curses are, but you don't have to tell me.

Jodi thought maybe a union would help protect her from getting fired when she talked back or swore. I really do want to know what your favorite curses are, but you don't have to tell me.

Jodi says the layoffs were brutal. So many people worked at this plant. It was the town's biggest employer. They didn't know where they were going to go to find jobs.

Because Jodi worked for the union, she helped negotiate a plant closing agreement, basically severance for the workers. They got $1,700 plus vacations and holidays paid out.

But Jodi says most people didn't want to go. They told her that the pay was going to be worse. And a lot of the people who worked at the plant have kids in school. They're settled. They like Perry. They don't want to pick up and move hours and hours away. I mean, it's a great town. Friendly people. I think it's a nice little town.

Tyson told a reporter that 200 of the roughly 1,200 people laid off relocated to take jobs at other Tyson facilities.

Perry, Iowa also has a lot of recent immigrants living there, people who moved to Perry to work at the plant. Jody says when they would make printouts about the union, they had to use interpreters. They'd print everything out in a dozen languages.

Tyson, for their part, has never made a secret of the fact that they hire from this range of people. They say that 35 percent of their workforce are immigrants.

A few months after we went to Tennessee to speak with Kamikaro, the man from Venezuela who is working at the Tyson plant, we decided to check back in with him. Good afternoon. How are you? Kamakaro says things at the plant got kind of chaotic for him. For a while there, his friends had been telling him, we're worried about what will happen when President Trump takes office.

So in February of last year, Simone goes to an office in lower Manhattan. She's there to report on this meeting between a group of migrants from Mexico and Colombia and Venezuela and representatives from Tyson, the meat company.

He says they didn't give me an explanation. They said, we'll call you, you can apply again in six months. They just told me what they told me.

Yeah, Tyson is one of the largest meatpacking companies in the country. They have over 220 facilities. And they are constantly opening and closing plants. Over the last decade, Tyson opened or expanded 17 facilities. A bacon plant, a distribution center, an incubation center. But they also closed 18 of their large facilities.

Thanks to Just Capital for their help with research, and to Alice Stryver, Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, Stacey Preston, Rachel Wacker, and all of the people we spoke with while we were in Tennessee. I'm Carlos Garcia.

Inside, there were translators and interviewers, some people from Tyson...

Tyson did a few rounds of hiring in New York. Their stated goal was that they would hire 2,500 asylum seekers and refugees this way, some of whom would be added to the workforce at their plant in Tennessee, which was already a mix of American-born workers and recent immigrants.

The headline reads, Tyson is hiring New York immigrants for jobs no one else wants.

That Wall Street Journal article was not about adding workers, but about subtracting them. Tyson was closing a plant in Perry, Iowa and laying off almost all of the roughly 1,200 workers.

The country is in the middle of a reckoning over immigration. In particular, about the millions of people who came across the southern border in the past few years. This has been the largest influx of immigrants this country has ever seen. And it's raised questions about the impact of immigrant workers on American jobs.

She started working on the story in February. It was about Tyson Foods, the enormous company that makes chicken nuggets and ground beef and pork chops. They were in New York City to hire some of the migrants who had come to the U.S. in the last few years. What kind of job was Tyson hiring for?

This is a clip of Jesse Waters from Fox.

The show then turns to an interview with then Ohio Senator and now Vice President J.D. Vance. who says that what Tyson is doing with these two factories is just one example of what he sees as a much larger problem.

This take went viral on social media. There was talk of a boycott of Tyson, a conservative investment firm divested from the company. And an advocacy group set up by Stephen Miller, the Trump campaign's main advisor on immigration, filed a number of complaints.

While Tyson didn't want to talk about hiring refugees and asylum seekers in New York, one of their new workers was willing to speak with us.

Kamakaro, he's got this kind of hip haircut, and he's wearing a black I Heart NYC hoodie. We clearly woke them up, and he seemed a little tired at first.

Camacaro told us he's from a pretty big city in Venezuela and that he was in New York for a few months. When he was hired to work in Tennessee, he didn't really know what to expect. He pictured fields. Campo.

Sure. Now, when Kamikaro was living in Venezuela, back in the day, he worked for the Hugo Chavez government.

Could you imagine that one day you would end up in the U.S.? No.

To get to the U.S., he made the trek through the Darien Gap, the notoriously dangerous 60 miles of rainforest between Colombia and Panama. He then got stuck in Mexico for a couple of months. Camacaro finally crossed the border to the U.S. in October 2023. He applied for asylum and was given a work permit while he waits for his case to be heard.

He'd spend some of his time going to churches and soup kitchens, and he was given a lot of donations of clothing. They had too many clothes, so they would sell what they didn't need.

He heard about it from a friend, went to an office building in Manhattan. He says there was an application, drug test. They checked his work permit. And that day, Kamikaro was one of the people who got a job offer.

He told his wife, I just signed. Come on, let's go. No turning back.

They get to Tennessee and are staying in the motel that Tyson set them up with. Finally, Kamikaro has his first day at work. His first day was cold. He didn't know to bundle up. He was just in a t-shirt and thought he might die of the cold.

He says, think of all the migrants in New York right now. A lot of them don't have jobs. He says he's one of the privileged ones. He got a job.

Now we heard this and we were like, what kind of protections do workers have at the plant?

No, none of that. Nobody's mentioned any unions. None of that. And if there were unions, he wouldn't want to be a part of it.

So he says he isn't going to complain about anything to his bosses. He's not going to join a union. And he's not going to quit. The benefits of this job outweigh the negatives, the pain in his hands and the danger. For him, this is reliable, well-paid work.

Now, to get a sense of how the people being laid off in Perry, Iowa, understood what had happened, we called up someone who worked at that plant. Her name is Jody Wells.

Now, this was all taking place at this moment when New York was receiving a huge influx of migrants. About 175,000 people had arrived. A lot of them were looking for work.

Jodi thought maybe a union would help protect her from getting fired when she talked back or swore. I really do want to know what your favorite curses are, but you don't have to tell me.