ICE will continue conducting raids at locations like farms, hotels, and restaurants, reversing guidance from the previous week that aimed to exclude these sites from mass deportations under the Trump Administration.
On Monday, ICE officials informed staff that raids must occur at farms, hotels, and restaurants, according to two sources familiar with the call. Several news sources, including and , have corroborated this information.
Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, told the Post that there would be no safe havens for industries sheltering violent criminals or hindering ICE’s operations. She added that worksite enforcement remains crucial for public safety, national security, and economic stability.
Trump’s pledge to “protect our Farmers”
Since his second inauguration in January, President Trump has initiated , drawing criticism from Democratic legislators and prompting to protest ICE raids on undocumented immigrants. The Post reported that Trump has recently faced opposition from agriculture and hospitality leaders due to his strict immigration policies. On Thursday, he on Truth Social that changes were imminent.
Trump stated on Truth Social that farmers and those in the hotel and leisure sector have indicated that the aggressive immigration policy is taking away long-term, valuable workers, and these jobs are nearly impossible to fill. He claimed that criminals entering the country due to Biden’s open border policy are applying for these positions, which he views as unacceptable. He emphasized the need to protect farmers while removing criminals from the U.S., promising changes.
What changed—or didn’t
Despite the public promise, a White House official informed the Post that no actual policy changes had been proposed. However, three U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter told that the Administration had directed ICE officials to largely suspend raids and arrests at these worksites.
According to the Times, Tatum King, a senior ICE official, stated in an email to regional leaders of the ICE branch involved in criminal investigations that all worksite enforcement investigations/operations on agriculture (including aquaculture and meat packing plants), restaurants, and operating hotels should be put on hold, effective immediately.
Monday’s reversal followed a weekend on Truth Social where Trump expressed his desire to expand efforts to detain and deport illegal immigrants in major U.S. cities such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where millions reside.
The United Farm Workers labor union in an Instagram post that there was no actual shift, stating that a chaotic worksite raid and a warrantless sweep in communities have the same result.
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