America First Legal (AFL), a nonprofit organization founded by former Trump administration officials, has accused Tyson Foods of discriminating against American residents by favoring the employment of immigrants, especially children and people in the country illegally. The allegations were filed in letters to the US Department of Justice, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and an Iowa civil rights organization on Wednesday, demanding investigations into the meatpacking company’s employment practices. .
According to the AFL, Tyson Foods employs 42,000 foreign workers, making up more than a third of its US workforce, and actively participates in recruitment programs. According to the AFL’s complaint, more than half of all meatpacking workers in the United States are immigrants, far higher than the national average of 17 percent for all industries.
Stephen Miller, a former senior adviser to President Donald Trump known for his strict immigration views, runs the AFL. The board includes Matthew Whitaker, former Acting Attorney General of the United States, and many staff attorneys from the Trump administration’s Justice Department.
According to the AFL, Tyson Foods took advantage of the increase in illegal border crossings, which peaked last year, to create a source of cheap labor. The group cited recent penalties imposed by a food hygiene company that works with Tyson and other meat processors for employing minors in unsafe conditions. Although Tyson was not formally charged with any wrongdoing in these cases, the AFL claims the firm violated federal and Iowa statutes that prohibit employment discrimination based on citizenship status, race, national origin and other protected characteristics.
Tyson Foods responded by stating that the company strongly opposes illegal immigration and does not allow persons under the age of 18 to work in its facilities. “Any suggestion that we would discriminate against Americans for hiring immigrants is completely incorrect. Tyson Foods currently employs 120,000 team members in the United States, all of whom must be legally authorized to work in this country,” said the spokesperson.
The Department of Justice, the EEOC, and the Iowa agency have no obligation to respond to or investigate allegations. If they decide to investigate and find out the validity of the claims, they could reach a settlement with Tyson or file a lawsuit.
The AFL has previously filed more than 30 complaints, mostly with the EEOC, accusing major US firms of having diversity programs that allegedly discriminate against white, Asian and heterosexual men or workers. The case against Tyson is the AFL’s first case to allege bias against American workers.
The EEOC has not commented on whether it is reviewing any of the allegations made by the AFL.
(With data from Reuters)
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