Kansas Towns Hit by ICE Raids Turn to Democrats, Demand Accountability

Communities in southwest Kansas affected by large-scale immigration raids by US federal agents have shifted towards the Democratic Party in the November 3 midterm elections, with residents now demanding answers and accountability over the operations.

The raids, conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents between September 22 and 25, resulted in the detention of 104 people, according to the local US Attorney.

The operation heavily affected Hispanic communities in Dodge City, Garden City and Liberal, areas whose economies depend significantly on meatpacking facilities employing large numbers of immigrant workers.

The consequences extended beyond those detained, with families separated, businesses disrupted and local officials complaining that they received little information from federal authorities about the operation.

The political impact became evident during the November 3 elections, when Democrat Adam Hamilton defeated incumbent Republican Senator Roger Marshall, securing Kansas’ first Democratic Senate victory in nearly a century.

An analysis of the election results by Reuters and USA Today showed that the three counties most affected by the immigration raids shifted towards Hamilton by an average of more than 20 percentage points compared with President Donald Trump’s 2024 vote share.

The result represented a notable political shift in a traditionally conservative part of the country, where Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda had previously enjoyed considerable support.

In Dodge City, community organiser and business owner Amy Soberanes has emerged as one of the residents demanding explanations from local authorities.

At a city commission meeting in October, Soberanes and other community members questioned officials about what they knew before the raids, why the area was targeted and what measures would be taken to prevent similar disruptions in the future.

“Our community is looking for reassurance and direction,” Soberanes told the commissioners.

However, local officials said they struggled to obtain information from federal authorities during the operation.

Dodge City’s City Manager, Nick Hernandez, said the city administration initially learned about the immigration raids through social media rather than direct communication from federal agencies.

He also questioned the lack of clarity surrounding the leadership of the operation, saying local authorities were unable to establish who was in charge while the raids were taking place.

The economic consequences were also significant.

Workers at meatpacking facilities reportedly avoided shifts or remained inside workplaces as news of the immigration operation spread. Livestock groups also reported disruptions across feedyards, dairies and meat processing businesses, resulting in millions of dollars in losses.

Republican Senator Roger Marshall, who lost his re-election bid to Hamilton, also criticised aspects of the operation, saying local authorities had not received the advance notice or cooperation expected from federal agencies.

Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security defended the enforcement exercise, insisting that ICE had informed cooperative local agencies ahead of the operation.

A White House spokesperson also defended Trump’s immigration agenda, describing it as a policy that had delivered greater border security.

The raids nevertheless left lasting consequences for some families.

Karla Flores and her husband, Alfredo Arrieta, were arrested by immigration agents shortly after leaving a Walmart store on the day the operation began.

Before being detained, Flores managed to contact her brother, who arranged for their three children to be collected from school and taken to a relative’s home.

The couple spent five weeks in immigration detention before being deported to Mexico. Their two youngest children later joined them, while their 17-year-old remained in the United States with Flores’ brother.

Their experience reflects the wider family disruption reported by residents following the enforcement operation.

In response, local nonprofit organisation New Frontiers provided hundreds of meals to affected families and supported voter registration efforts in the weeks following the raids.

Soberanes said the experience had energised residents politically, adding that the community was now determined to ensure those responsible for the operation answered questions about its consequences.

The election results have placed renewed attention on the political and economic effects of Trump’s immigration enforcement policies, particularly in communities where immigrant labour plays a major role in sustaining local industries.

Although the Department of Homeland Security has maintained that the raids were part of legitimate immigration enforcement, residents in southwest Kansas say they want greater transparency, communication and assurances that their communities will not face similar disruption without adequate accountability.