In central Mississippi the poultry industry dominates, with massive processing facilities operating around the clock. Employing tens of thousands of workers, these chicken plants are the economic backbone of the region. 

But on August 7, 2019, officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted one of the largest workplace raids in U.S. history, detaining 680 undocumented workers across seven poultry facilities. 

In his documentary, “Practically Mexico Now,” CBC doc producer John Chipman takes us to the heart of this community to document the ongoing impact of the immigration raids all these years later. What he finds is a community where fears are rising as Trump promises mass deportations. 

The doc was produced by John Chipman and Jodie Martinson with help from Liz Hoath. The doc originally aired on The Current.

Storylines is part of the CBC Audio Doc Unit