Socialist Party USA Stands With Venceremos, Demands Tyson Act on Unjust Immigration Policy

In April of 2020 the Trump administration issued an executive order, drafted by lawyers of Tyson Foods, INC in collaboration with Smithfield Foods declaring their operations to remain open at the height of the pandemic, under incredibly dangerous conditions. At that time, the first Trump administration hailed meatpacking workers as heroes - and so they were, as the working class has always been in great times of great need. Workers in the meatpacking industry operated at maximum capacity with increasing processing speeds, while battling rampant COVID-19 infection. Industry giants like Tyson Foods, shirked their responsibility and duties, prioritizing maximized profits over worker safety, creating a new jungle- one that would chill even Upton Sinclair.

Most of these essential workers are disproportionately people of color, predominantly immigrants, finding themselves once again targeted by the U.S. Government's renewed and brutal immigration crackdown. Have we forgotten our heros? We say NO! They were essential then, they are essential now, and so it will forever be that the working class is the essential class! The Socialist Party USA stands behind Venceremos and the workers of Tyson Foods, INC, their subsidiaries, and their contractors in their struggle against child labor violations and Tyson's blatant and intentional silence in the face of federal immigration policy targeting workers and their families. 

This past year alone Donnie King, Tyson's CEO, saw his base pay bump 14% to $1.6 million dollars, his bonus a 56% bump to $9.4 million dollars. The current administration claims that inflation is to blame for rising food costs. It most certainly is inflation! The inflation of greedy CEO's personal bank accounts at the expense of the working class! Just in January of 2026 Tyson Foods was forced to settle a U.S. beef price-fixing lawsuit for $82.5 million. Meanwhile, millions of Americans struggle with rising grocery prices, facing painful daily choices around food, rent, and childcare. Those who risk the most and work the hardest are NOT the Donnie King's, the Tyson Family, or their corporate shareholders. The risk and work is done by the workers, like those organized with Venceremos! These revelations of food price fixing, government and corporate lobbyists fixing laws and executive orders, and financial rewards to CEO's who actively seek to break the law for profit illustrate one thing - the system of capitalism is rotten to its core and must be replaced!

The struggle for our collective liberation begins with the workers. Venceremos, our heroes, have called us to action! The Socialist Party USA publicly demands that Tyson address their labor violations, especially those involving minors! We urge our fellow workers to sign the virtual petition to Tyson shareholders - demand accountability for their actions and share in your personal networks! We urge our fellow workers to call the Tyson Office of Sustainability and demand they address the impact immigration policies have on their business. We additionally call for all workers who are not yet unionized at Tyson Foods and it's subsidiaries, to join in the bonds of union siblinghood with Venceremos! These are the requests of the workers of Venceremos and so too is it the request of the Socialist Party USA. ¡Sí se puede, venceremos! 

Passed by the National Executive Committee 2/4/2026