As U.S. meat processing plants face labor shortages, they rely on migrant workers to bridge production gaps. Some of these migrant workers, however, are actually minors who are working illegally.
In October, federal agents discovered over two dozen minors, reportedly from Guatemala, working unlawfully at a Kidron, Ohio poultry plant.
NBC News reported that these minors were allegedly performing meat processing and sanitation roles at Gerber’s Poultry Processing Plant.
U.S. labor law prohibits anyone under the age of 18 from working in meat processing facilities due to the high risk of injury.
Video evidence on TikTok depicted Homeland Security and the FBI surrounding the plant, checking identification, and inquiring about sanitation procedures during their investigation.
No arrests were made, and the legal consequences for Gerber’s Poultry Processing Plant remain uncertain.
Marisa Darden, the lawyer representing Gerber, declined to comment on the allegations when asked by NBC News, stating, “We don’t have any comment at this time. We are cooperating, we just can’t talk about it.”
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing labor and immigration challenges in the United States.
Past violations
In July, a 16-year-old Guatemalan migrant died while cleaning machinery at a poultry plant in Mississippi.
In February, Packer Sanitation Services Incorporated paid $1.5 million in penalties after the Department of Labor found it had illegally employed over 100 children aged 13 to 17.
Advocates and lawyers noted that some child workers for Packer Sanitation were unaccompanied minors who crossed the southern border.
Proposed U.S. legislation
Friday, Oct. 20, U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, and Todd Young, R-Ind., introduced the bipartisan Stop Child Labor Act, aimed at curbing illegal child labor.
The proposed legislation seeks to raise maximum fines for violations, create new criminal penalties, enable victims affected by violations to bring forth private lawsuits, and promote cooperation between employers and government agencies to prevent child labor violations proactively.
In fiscal year 2023, the Department of Labor reported 955 cases with child labor violations, with nearly 200 of those involving hazardous occupation violations.
