More than 100 arrests in southwest Kansas
More than 100 people were taken into custody as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents launched a series of enforcement operations across Dodge City, Liberal, and Garden City beginning September 22. The crackdown, which included random stops to check immigration status, has left communities reeling as they attempt to recover from the widespread fear gripping the area’s large Hispanic population.
Schools saw a sharp spike in absenteeism, local businesses shuttered, and beef processing facilities faced shortened or canceled shifts as workers stayed home. In Liberal, Vice Mayor Janeth Vazquez described the atmosphere as a “ghost town.” She noted that, People were terrified to leave their homes.
Student attendance drops as local businesses close
The impact inside the classroom was immediate. Breanna Rutschman, a second grade teacher in Dodge City, reported that seven of her 20 students were absent the day agents arrived. By the following day, attendance in her classroom had plummeted to just eight students.
The economic fallout followed a similar pattern. Beyond the processing plants, restaurants reported closures and motel reservations were canceled. Families, paralyzed by the fear of being targeted while in public, chose to remain indoors, cutting off access to essential goods and services.
Conflicting accounts of federal criteria
A sharp divide separates federal rhetoric from the reality reported by local officials. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin stated that agents were focused on “heinous criminals,” such as murderers, rapists, and drug traffickers, alongside “illegal aliens with final orders of removal.” Mullin further asserted that ICE agents were not conducting arrests at worksites.
Local advocates tell a different story. Vice Mayor Vazquez, who has remained in contact with affected families, maintains that the majority of those detained lacked criminal histories. She reported that agents conducted arrests via traffic stops and from employees entering beef processing plants, and she alleged that the operations involved racial profiling that impacted both undocumented immigrants and U.S. citizens. Regarding those affected, Vazquez stated, These were hardworking, humble, genuine, good people in our communities.
Volunteer networks in the shadows
As the fear deepened, a volunteer-led relief network emerged to sustain families trapped in their homes. Amy Soberanes, a Dodge City business owner, took the lead in coordinating the delivery of diapers, baby formula, and groceries to those too frightened to venture out. On Sept. 24, 2026, volunteers Aquilino Reyes, Soberanes, and Anna Meyer were documented loading supplies for those in hiding.
The volunteers have implemented clandestine security measures to shield both recipients and drivers. According to the Kansas Reflector, drivers frequently rotate vehicles and change routes to evade detection. If stopped by authorities, couriers use water bottles to dissolve paper notes containing sensitive home addresses. The community even redirected funding and food originally earmarked for the “Pachanga en la Plaza” Hispanic community event to keep the supply chain running for families in hiding.
Demographic focus of the enforcement
The operations were concentrated in Dodge City, Liberal, and Garden City, three communities where the Hispanic and Latino population ranges from 55% to 69%. While volunteers continue to provide essential support to households—including those already missing members taken by federal authorities—many families remain inside, waiting for the federal presence to subside.
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