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Abstract
This study investigates the effects of intensified immigration enforcement policies, specifically the E-Verify mandates and 287(g) policy agreements, on labor market outcomes within the United States meat processing industry using Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) panel data spanning 2000-2013. We employ a difference-in-differences model approach to estimate the impact of E-Verify and 287(g) on employment levels and wages in meat processing occupations across US metropolitan areas. The U.S. meat Industry has heavily relied on immigrant labor for critical tasks and operations such as slaughtering, cutting, and packaging, rendering it vulnerable to workforce disruptions stemming from strict immigration policies. Our findings show that nationwide states with a high E-Verify enforcement level led to statistically significant reductions in meat processing employment, with estimates suggesting approximately a 36% decline following mandate implementation. We conclude that blanket E-Verify adoption could exacerbate prevailing labor shortages in the meat processing industry by directly restricting the employment of unauthorized workers. However, technological advances like automation that reduces human participation and alternative workforce strategies may have dampened anticipated wage pressures from reduced labor supply in the short run.