From a policy standpoint, a major issue is that meatpacking and the use of immigrant labor, can be compared to the rise of prisons, especially private prisons.

From a policy standpoint, a major issue is that meatpacking and the use of immigrant labor, can be compared to the rise of prisons, especially private prisons. These become entrenched in small town America, making huge profits for the local governments, and providing employment to a lot of people, especially union. Anything that might jeopardize that is going to face a lot of pressure from the congressional representatives for that area.