Tyson Foods just published its proxy statement, and investors will have the opportunity to vote on a shareholder proposal related to the risks of new immigration policies and enforcement to the Company. 

The proposal, filed by the Sisters of St. Francis Charitable Trust and five co-filers, requests Tyson conduct and publish an assessment of “the anticipated impact of recent changes in United States (US) immigration law, policies, and enforcement priorities on the company’s finances and operations.”

According to Sister Marie Cigrand, Socially Responsible Investing Group Chair at the Sisters of St. Frances Charitable Trust (the lead filer) :

“The wellbeing of our immigrant sisters and brothers is of particular concern to the Sisters of Saint Francis, Dubuque, Iowa, during this moment of unparalleled uncertainty and violence. As people of faith and followers of St. Francis of Assisi, we believe that immigrants have God- given rights to be treated with respect and dignity, to work and to access services that satisfy their basic needs. The devastating effects of the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown have decimated communities, fueled hatred and fear, and negatively impacted Tyson’s operations and long-term shareholder value. It is incumbent upon Tyson to transparently explain these adverse impacts to its shareholders.” 

The proposal highlights investor concerns about potentially catastrophic impacts on Tyson and its shareholders as a result of the Administration’s unpredictable and rapidly changing modifications to immigration law, policies, and enforcement priorities. Since around 35% of Tyson’s workforce are immigrants, the Company is particularly vulnerable to volatile shifts in immigration policy and enforcement.

• Many of Tyson’s workers who are legally authorized to work in the US are at risk of losing  – or have already lost – their work authorization as a result of the Administration’s elimination of work authorization programs like humanitarian parole and TPS. In a sector already experiencing a severe labor shortage, the unpredictable elimination of work may exacerbate the labor shortage, thereby harming Tyson’s operations. 
• The increased labor shortage resulting from immigration policy changes may also exacerbate the already-existing illegal child labor problem in the meatpacking industry, as vulnerable children are exploited to fill these gaps in very dangerous jobs with few or no protections. Tyson already faces risks related to illegal child labor, as a 2023 Department of Labor (DOL) investigation found 7 children illegally working in Tyson’s plant, and a separate child labor investigation on Tyson is ongoing. 
• Understanding and complying with rapidly changing laws places an increased burden and risk of violating the law on Tyson.
• Tyson believes its use of the E-Verify work authorization verification system keeps it in compliance with US law, but E-Verify’s accuracy has been under question. For example, a June 2025 immigration raid at Glenn Valley Foods, a Nebraska meat producer, resulted in more than half of its workers being detained, despite the company’s use of E-Verify. 
• Ultimately, unpredictability in the changing immigration landscape, the potential for work authorization revocations, and the flaws in electronic verification systems hinder Tyson’s ability to comply with the law and to effectively forecast and plan for long-term success.

Lydia Kuykendal, Director of Shareholder Advocacy at Mercy Investment Services, Inc. (a co-filer), said:

“We know that immigrant labor has significant impacts on the economy of the United States. What we don’t know is how recent policy changes will impact specific companies that rely heavily on this type of labor. Tyson risks serious upheaval from workforce depletion, and as investors, it is important to know how the company is mitigating these risks.”

The text of the shareholder resolution can be found here: Shareholder Proposal  

The shareholder proposal filers are part of a larger group of faith-based investors who have engaged in dialogue with the Company for nearly two decades on a range of issues, including water stewardship, antibiotic use, lobbying, racial equity, working conditions, and human rights. Most recently, the investor group sent a letter to Tyson’s Board of Directors to discuss its poor oversight of critical aspects of corporate strategy, including worker health and safety and immigration-related risks that negatively affect company performance and reputation, worker wellbeing, and ultimately, long-term shareholder value. Tyson rejected the group’s request to meet with the Board. 

“We are disappointed with Tyson’s refusal to allow this group of committed, long-term shareholders to meet with its Board of Directors. Over the past six years, we have tried to engage the company’s management on key workers’ rights issues, but this has been unproductive and disappointing. We have not seen any meaningful progress, and in fact, have witnessed regression – for example, Tyson never followed through with its commitment to undertake and publish the results of a racial equity audit. Given our good-faith attempts to engage through traditional channels have been unsuccessful, we are asking to discuss these matters with the Board.” – Aaron Acosta, Program Director at Investor Advocates for Social Justice. 

A copy of the letter that was sent to the Board of Directors can be found here: Letter to Board of Directors   

Despite the challenges the investor group has faced in engaging with Tyson over the years, we respect Tyson’s decision to include the shareholder proposal in its proxy statement, even though it opposes the proposal. During a time in which the SEC has shirked its longstanding role in resolving company objections to shareholder resolutions (a decision which effectively gives companies unilateral power to exclude shareholder proposals), Tyson’s decision to withdraw its initial attempt to exclude the proposal demonstrates the Company’s respect for shareholder rights on this occasion. 

Notwithstanding Tyson’s decision to include the shareholder proposal in the proxy statement, shareholders remain concerned that Tyson is not adequately addressing risks associated with workers’ rights issues, including the adverse impacts of the US’ recent changes in immigration law, policies, and enforcement on the Company.  

Given the strong business case for supporting this shareholder proposal, we urge all Tyson shareholders to vote FOR proposal #7.

For press inquiries or additional questions, please reach out to Program Director, Aaron Acosta (aacosta@iasj.org).