(Radio Iowa) – A majority of the Haitian immigrant workers let go from the J-B-S meatpacking plant in Ottumwa have stayed in the community. More than 200 employees at the plant were impacted by when the Trump administration changed their work authorization status in July. Paulina Ocegueda with the Ottumwa League of United Latin American Citizens says a small percentage were able to find new authorizations and stay at the plant, while others are stayed without the meatpacking jobs.

“They have to move in with each other and stack up each other in housing, because they can no longer afford it. They can’t afford utilities, they cannot pay off their rents. It’s very hard for them to keep up with that, especially if they have children,” she says. Ocegueda says some of the former J-B-S workers left the country. “We work closely with the Haitian community. They said there have been quite a few, I would say, from a range of numbers, 10 to 30 individuals heading back home.”

Ocegueda says J-B-S has filled all the positions held by the workers who were let go.