Why Are We Talking About Denying Vaccines to Undocumented Meatpackers in NE?

Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts held a press conference about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout yesterday. In that conference, he talked about vaccinating meatpackers in phase 1B of the state’s program. Responding to a question as to whether “illegal immigrants” would be part of phase 1B, Ricketts said: “You’re supposed to be a legal resident of the country to be able to be working in those plants so I do not expect that illegal immigrants will be part of the vaccine with that program.”

The Daily Mail has helpfully cut the hour-long press conference (which you can find on youtube) into just the relevant 39 seconds:

The Daily Mail’s headline, however, is a bit misleading: Nebraska governor says undocumented workers at meatpacking plants will NOT be eligible to receive COVID vaccines. That’s not quite what he said. What is said was that meatpacking plants should not be hiring undocumented workers (as we know: IRCA prohibits it), and so, when the phase 1B vaccination of meatpackers happens, he doesn’t “expect” undocumented workers in the mix (because, naturally, meatpacking plants follow the law).

As immprofs know, meatpacking plants are rife with undocumented workers. Just recall the raids in Postville (2008) and Missisippi (2019). The numbers in NE are no different. According to some, 14% of the workers in Nebraska’s meatpacking plants are likely undocumented.

And NE will likely vaccinate these workers along with any other undocumented individuals living in the state (when there phase comes along) because we are in the midst of a public health crisis and it would be absurd to do anything else.

-KitJ