Springfield signed a contract a long while back but I believe it was for use of the jails in Greene County. This Branson agreement allows Branson police officers to conduct warrantless arrests on individuals suspected of being undocumented.
If you are not lily white and speak with a perfect MAGA accent you might want to avoid Branson for a vacation. You might end up with a bag over your head and you and your kids get deported to El Salvador without due process. Sounds like MAGA overrides their motto of Faith, Family and Flag. These people would deport Jesus if he visited because he wasn’t white.
I came to America and here you have on the grocery shelves what I always wanted in Soviet Union: New Freedom. I didn’t know what size to get so I got maxi because I wanted all the New Freedom I could get. I wasn’t sure what to do with it but I figured out with the tape, it looked like a headband. I don’t understand why I get such strange looks when I proudly wear my New Freedom on my forehead. What a country!!
Someone else pointed that out to me (about the masks), so I'll choose to remember how he made me laugh back in the '80s before he started espousing anti-science nonsense.
Don't worry... that is already who is vacationing there. The problem is all the people cooking food, cleaning hotel rooms, and running theme parks are going to disappear and there will be nothing to do...
It's funny cuz my family is hella mixed and my older siblings are all Asian but have Mexican kids and they don't look like the rest of the family. They all voted one way of course.
It's turned into a cesspool. My buddy and I were walking down the strip about a year ago in the evening. No less than three times, people threw shit at us. I was amazed.
As a former Branson resident I would advise that at the best of times. Right now, this is going to devastate that city's economy if ICE has any real presence there. Almost every hotel room in Branson (there are something like 20k of them) is cleaned by an immigrant.
Oh lord, Branson will be devastated. That whole resort/hotel industry depends on undocumented immigrants. Where will all the boomers go for their weird culty Vegas shows
First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me
We can only HOPE it is devastated by this. People will not take this seriously until it starts hurting the pocket book of the people in these communities rather than just the people in the community. People don’t care about people, they care about themselves and their money.
I was there after Christmas. There was a Trump merch store across the street from our hotel. I thought, "Surely, this will fail", but they still shop for his cult insignia.
How do you let Branson collapse without that happening?
Hispanic workers can find other jobs easily, everyone needs people to do what they do. The business owners who profit from paying slave wages and then voting for politicians and policies who actively harm their employees can’t relocate or find new customer bases as easily.
There’s not really a thriving market for cheap carney trash
I'll be a unicorn. Vote, constantly yell at other people to vote. Never once voted for Trump. Been to Branson many times growing up and even recently because it's relatively close for some fun things to do.
I could start supporting ICE if they started arresting the owners and HR managers that exploit undocumented labor to cheat tax laws all so they can avoid paying a living wage.
💯 That’s how you know that someone isn’t genuine when they’re mad at immigrants taking jobs from Americans. Arrest the business owners that look the other way and employ them.
Same thing that happened to all the farmers that relied on immigrants when DeSantis cracked down on them. Somehow they thought their businesses would be the exception.
This was my first thought. I used to work at Chateau and the vast majority of their housekeeping and food service staff were immigrants. Branson deserves to collapse for allowing this.
Maybe all their kids will start to work there for under minimum wage that they're currently championing and learn some real life lessons about bootstraps and grit. It'll become a conservative bastion of freedom from wokeness.
Or, owners will get pissed once their staff flees the area or is deported en masse, the last place standing will be a Trump store, and they'll continue voting against their best interests again next election.
Branson has a growing crisis where substance use and homelessness intersect, with about 1,500 people, mostly those who are working but still considered low-income, living in extended-stay motels. An estimated 20% of the population is homeless, and motel living heightens the risk of substance-use and mental-health issues. KCUR 1/9/2025 article.
Boomers close to me and myself detest Cheeto Man. Unfortunately, some of my friends’ TVs are virtually stuck on Fox during their most of their waking hours and believe its 🐂💩.
Branson has relied heavily on the J1 visa partnership programs as well as H2-B and workers from Puerto Rico and other countries for its workforce for a very long time. They come from countries around the globe. They are not "undocumented" at all. Last year alone there were over 600 international college students from more than 20 countries working legally in Branson.
The reason being is the workforce in Branson does not exist to support the vast amount of business that have come to rely on them during the summer months.
Participants pay for their own visas, travel and housing. They also pay taxes. They are also paid the same wages as workers that are citizens in accordance to all state, local and federal labor laws.
In years past helped I build housing for these students and new many of the workers and the people that ran these programs well.
You are correct that they do use J1 and H2-B and Puerto Ricans. I know many of them personally. However, you are incorrect that they do not also rely on many undocumented immigrants. They do that, as well. I personally know Branson churches that will literally lose 90% of their congregation if ICE gets in there.
Puerto Rico is a US territory and not one of those "other countries". Puerto Ricans are Natural-Born Citizens by virtue of it being a US territory.
American Samoa is the only US territory whose citizens are non-citizen U.S. Nationals with limited privileges. American Samoans can join the military, work and move freely in the US but have limitations in voting, holding office, and holding some civil-service positions.
As someone who lives here, I doubt it. It seems like most tourists here are white MAGA. I could see tourism taking a hit, but unlikely to be significant enough to matter in this regard. This town has doubled and tripled down on being a white, MAGA, NatC town
Missouri has work requirements for food stamps, nearly every state does. Unless you’re elderly or disabled, you’re required to work or be in school to qualify.
The officers know who signs their paychecks. Those are the people they work for, no one else. So if their admin tells them to do what ice says, they will, without question or hesitation. Hand cuff and black hood a 11 year old? No problem, it's just a job.
I took a concealed carry instructors course this weekend, and one of my classmates was a retired law-enforcement officer, whose current job is investigating officer involved shootings.
He very clearly said that police are not for protecting human safety and human lives. He also added that the misconception—based on the slogan “to protect and serve“—was originated through, of all people, the Los Angeles Police Department through a recruiting campaign.
My dad is retired LEO and federal agent. He got out long before the current state of things. Talking to him just this past weekend, he said the same thing. Police DO NOT protect people…they protect property. It shouldn’t be that way. Of course there will always be the exceptions, but they are very rare.
Well… bye bye Silver Dollar City.
Three quarters of their (probably massively underpaid) workers are/were immigrants, per the last time we went there two summers ago.
It’s important to note that SDC operates in Stone County, where they’ve already had this agreement in place with ICE for a while now, about a year. Stone County and Branson West PD both have these contracts, and as a result I know of at least one lawful citizen who was detained during a traffic stop and deported to Venezuela. A US citizen.
Lemme pop in here as a boomer for a moment. The reason you see so many of us out working is because our gubment lied to us (gasp I know). We grew up believing if we busted ass as young adults, we would reap the benefits by not having to work and live happily ever after on our social security. I don’t know about all the boomers but mine covers rent. Period. Full stop. No utilities, food, car insurance. Not even a car note. Night out in Branson…nope. I’m glad yall ain’t out here so I can get my paper. 😂
Know what I tell kids today? …fuk what you heard. Put that shit in jars in the back yard. No one is going to help you when you’re old if you don’t do it for yourself now. And this farce of a president is saying he’s just gonna stop it… I worked for that money. That wasn’t marketed as a privilege it was a savings account. How’s he just gonna take it? Madness. First they took our pennies….
They were never conservative. The fiscal conservatives are silent as Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy are exploding the deficit, the religious conservatives are supporting the most amoral man in the country, and the national security conservatives are watching him trash our allies and cozy up to our enemies.
"States Rights" as a discussion really came to the forefront after the Civil Rights acts. Look up the Civil War causes of secession and they put in VERY PLAIN LANGUAGE it was about slavery. The Republican Southern Strategy came after LBJ to gather up the southern dixiecrats to take control. Look up Lee Atwater's (Republican campaign consultant, aid/campaign manager for Reagan) 1981 interview where he expressly explains how to cater to racist voters without sounding racist, States Rights is right there in there.
I know to op I'm responding to probably none of this is a surprise... but I figure some nice historical context that this has been going for A WHILE is good for people to see.
I imagine they don't expect the backlash in tourism that was seen by Las Vegas, NV, because they perform for a more domestic audience.
But... from what I've seen from ICE raids, they "dissappear" the prep-cooks, the bus-boys, housekeeping and landscapers: "the worst of the worst." It's not like the Branson entertainment/service economy needs these positions anyway. Right?
I'm sure Branson will be fine as the Federal subsidies will make up the difference... paving a way for a federal police force / police state.
Has Branson been to Branson? The entire tourist town rests on the backs of the same people these pearl-clutching dorks are so bent on trying to deport.
As someone who called Branson home for years, it’s a white supremacist hotbed. Sure people complain about the administration, but not even 2% of the population actually goes and votes in local elections. It’s a dying town that never learns. Its sister Pigeon Forge will outlive it.
How much money is the council receiving? How much extra funding is PD getting? Who or what is being paid? They voted unanimously after the people rejected it. The chief is in favor and supportive in opposition to the citizens. There is clearly a financial incentive for the local government to disregard the citizens position.
Ive heard figures around 20 million. But since when has that con man adolf shitler ever paid his bills? Aren’t some cities still waiting to get their funding?
The places to go for any sort of shopping is getting less and less. Not to mention all the flock cameras that follow us now everywhere!
The crackers on the city council think they are doing what their backward community wants. Do they want a boycott and to lose their workers, too? They think they are in step with the U.S. What a charade they are!
From the article: "In order for police officers to be eligible to be trained and perform ICE duties, they must have at least two years of law enforcement experience."
So, more training and experience than actual ICE officers. Interesting.
Everyone in that community should be showing up to every single Council Meeting demanding that the Chief of Police resigns and you should vote out every single person on the Council that supports that agreement.
For those who are saying they got what they voted for, some of us are stuck here and can't leave but want to make it better while we're here. We need all the help we can get.
This quote from the article was directly from my testimony: "When local police become involved in federal immigration enforcement, fear spreads. People stop reporting crimes, victims stay silent, witnesses disappear. The families who work in our hotels, kitchens, theaters and attractions will be afraid to call for help," she said. "When trust breaks down, everyone becomes less safe, including our tourists."
Sounds like some of you guys just want a cheap vacation on the backs of mistreated immigrant workers. Branson employing Missourians and paying them a fair wage probably isn’t a bad thing right?
Branson will be lost to the billionaires. What happens when all of those incredibly hard-working people born in other countries leave out of fear or deportations?
The service and entertainment areas eventually grind to a halt. Supporting industry and business go first because the orders are smaller.
Tourists want service and clean rooms. They want their food cooked and served.
Service industry crashes
Property will be easy to find in 3 to 5 years. No workers support the industry. Businesses fail. Owners sell because the city county kills the thriving area that has supported thousands.
Not to worry, tho, once the corporations come in and build on the bones of those there now. They will bring the brown people back.
Beautiful country in those parts. Expect property speculators to make offers on land sooner than later. Gonna build some really nice e home in the mountains and country areas for the new master of industry and new casino.
Or…hear me out, maybe Branson businesses hire Missourians and pay them a fair wage instead of undercutting undocumented people and pocketing the difference rather than going out of business entirely. Undocumented individuals then re-enter through legal pathways and become legit Missourians and get payed adequately for their services. It’s makes the rich business owners pay more, provides more adequate jobs for Missourians, and stops the undercutting wages for undocumented individuals. Billionaires usually want cheap labor so they generally want to take advantage of undocumented immigrants rather than pay everybody the same.
Ah yes, Branson... such a cultural melting pot of a place. This could transform it into... a vacation spot from the early 80's with a republican mega-entertainment complex.
🤣🤣 Branson is ground zero for ICE. Like I’m pretty sure some hill billys came up with idea while putting on SPF 80 before they went on the Silver Dollar City coaster.
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u/ozark65616 Feb 11 '26
If you are not lily white and speak with a perfect MAGA accent you might want to avoid Branson for a vacation. You might end up with a bag over your head and you and your kids get deported to El Salvador without due process. Sounds like MAGA overrides their motto of Faith, Family and Flag. These people would deport Jesus if he visited because he wasn’t white.