Fact Check: One ICE raid reduced a New Mexico dairy's workforce from 55 to 20.

Fact Check: "One ICE raid reduced a New Mexico dairy's workforce from 55 to 20."

What We Know

In June 2025, a significant immigration raid conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at a dairy farm in New Mexico resulted in a drastic reduction of the workforce. Reports indicate that the number of employees fell from 55 to just 20 following the raid, effectively crippling the farm's operations. Beverly Idsinga, the executive director of the Dairy Producers of New Mexico, highlighted the immediate impact of this workforce reduction, stating, "You can’t turn off cows. They need to be milked twice a day, fed twice a day" (source-2). This incident reflects broader trends in the agricultural sector, where labor shortages have been exacerbated by immigration enforcement actions.

Analysis

The claim that an ICE raid reduced a New Mexico dairy's workforce from 55 to 20 is supported by multiple credible sources. The Associated Press reported on the raid, confirming the workforce drop and the subsequent operational challenges faced by the dairy (source-2). Furthermore, another report from Cowsmo, a publication focused on the dairy industry, corroborated this information, noting that the loss of 35 workers led to a halt in milk production at the facility (source-6).

The reliability of these sources is high, as they are established news outlets and industry publications that report on significant events affecting the agricultural sector. The context provided by these reports indicates a pattern of fear and uncertainty among immigrant workers in the industry, which has been documented in various studies and articles discussing the effects of immigration policy on labor markets (source-4).

While some sources may have varying perspectives on the implications of such raids, the core fact regarding the workforce reduction is consistently reported across multiple outlets, reinforcing its validity.

Conclusion

The claim that one ICE raid reduced a New Mexico dairy's workforce from 55 to 20 is True. The evidence from multiple credible sources confirms the significant impact of the raid on the dairy's operations, highlighting the broader implications of immigration enforcement on the agricultural labor market.

Fact Check: One ICE raid reduced a New Mexico dairy's workforce from 55 to 20.