Texas Agriculture Commissioner says fear of ICE raids keeps legal residents indoors

During a televised interview, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller asserted that people across the United States, regardless of legal status, are reluctant to appear in public due to the threat of arrest following ICE operations. He linked recent raids on Kansas meat-packing plants to rising beef costs and noted that school attendance is dropping because families are staying home. Miller recalled that at the start of one outlet federal administration, immigration officials began detaining agricultural workers, which he said halted milk production until the focus was redirected toward alleged criminals.

He emphasized that one outlet approach no longer targets farm laborers. The comments highlight ongoing tensions between immigration enforcement and the agricultural sector.