Opinion: In the wake of Tyson, let’s rethink Iowa’s immigration stance

In Iowa, we often pride ourselves on our resilience and self-reliance. However, the truth is our state’s prosperity heavily depends on, both documented and undocumented, Black and Brown immigrants. The looming impact of the Tyson plant closure in Perry and the recent shutdown of West Liberty Foods underscores a stark reality: Without our immigrant workforce, crucial sectors of Iowa’s economy would collapse.

Facilities like Perry’s Tyson plant are not just production sites but are central to the communities that have burgeoned around them. Their economic activities sustain local grocery stores, schools, and healthcare services. Immigrants also contribute to a broader tax base, supporting public services that benefit all Iowans. The narrative that immigrants drain more from our economy than they contribute is a myth; studies consistently show their presence is a net positive. 

Research by economist Giovanni Peri in 2010 reveals that immigrants play a crucial role in stabilizing and growing local economies. They do this by filling workforce gaps and boosting productivity. This support is not merely about filling low-wage jobs to sustain entire industries that often face a shortage of willing local labor.

Immigrants have a strong presence in U.S. health care, from doctors to nurses to home health care aides, playing a crucial role in states like Iowa, where they constitute a significant portion of the health care workforce.

While some argue that immigrant labor undermines wages for native-born workers, studies from the Economic Policy Institute show that the overall effect of immigration on wages is minimal to positive. Immigrants often take on roles that are hard to fill, maintaining the viability of industries like meatpacking that are crucial for local economies.

These concerns about competition might seem valid, but data from the Migration Policy Institute reveal that immigrants complement rather than displace the native workforce, often revitalizing industries locals are no longer willing to sustain.

Recent policies have compounded the challenges faced by immigrants in Iowa. Iowa’s Senate File 2340, a law that imposes harsh penalties on undocumented immigrants involved in re-entry or other legal violations, alongside restrictive federal immigration directives like President Biden’s recent executive order, which tightens controls on asylum seekers at the border, fails to recognize the indispensable role of our immigrant population. These policies emphasize punitive measures over addressing the economic needs that immigrants fill.

This pattern in recent policies reflects some Iowans’ willingness to risk the demise of their own towns to maintain a nostalgic, racially homogenous community ideal. In recent years, many Iowa towns are witnessing a significant demographic shift, where young white Iowans are leaving, and Black and Brown immigrants are arriving.

This influx of nonwhite migrants supports local businesses that would likely close without their patronage and contribution to the tax revenues that keep local governments functional. Yet, there is an undercurrent of discomfort among the longstanding residents who recognize their economic necessity but struggle to accept these migrants as equal partners in their communities.

It’s time for Iowans to confront the reality of our reliance on both documented and undocumented immigrants. By supporting and protecting our immigrant workforce, we are investing in the stability and growth of Iowa’s economy. We need policies that reflect the value immigrants bring to our economy and actively protect their rights and dignity. We must advocate for a recalibration of immigration policies that align with economic needs, allowing more flexibility in response to labor demands.

As Iowa stands at this crossroads, we must choose a path of support and solidarity. The prosperity of our state is intricately woven with the lives of the immigrant workers who contribute so fundamentally to our communities. Let us not forsake them, for in their thriving lies our own.

Bree Rubel is a 2027 juris doctor candidate at the University of Iowa College of Law. You may contact her at [email protected].