In a significant policy shift, President Donald Trump has now reportedly ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials to halt raids targeting farms, restaurants, and hotels.
This change, communicated via an internal email obtained by The New York Times, reflects growing concerns from the agricultural and hospitality sectors about the impact of aggressive immigration enforcement on their labor forces.
On Thursday, Trump took to Truth Social to announce that “changes are coming” to the administration’s deportation policies.
He noted that the “great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business” have voiced frustrations about losing reliable workers due to stringent immigration policies. “These jobs are almost impossible to replace,” he stated, while pledging to continue efforts to remove individuals with criminal records.
The new guidance, sent by ICE official Tatum King, directed agents to suspend all work site enforcement operations in agriculture, including aquaculture and meatpacking, as well as restaurants and hotels.
While investigations related to human trafficking, money laundering, and drug smuggling will continue, the email specifically instructed agents not to arrest “non-criminal collaterals,” referring to undocumented individuals who are not suspected of additional offenses.
This policy reversal comes on the heels of recent ICE operations in California, where agents conducted a series of raids at farms in the Oxnard area.
Approximately 40% of U.S. farmworkers are undocumented, according to a 2022 report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the figure rises to about 75% in California.
The state is a critical supplier of fruits and vegetables, producing more than one-third of the nation’s vegetables and over 75% of its fruits and nuts.
The decision to ease enforcement in these sectors follows a wave of protests in Los Angeles against ICE activities, which have drawn national attention.
In response to the unrest, Trump ordered the federalization of California’s National Guard and deployed 700 Marines to the state, a move that has faced pushback from Governor Gavin Newsom.
Reports indicate that Marines recently detained a civilian in Los Angeles, marking a notable instance of military involvement in domestic law enforcement.
As the administration navigates these complex issues, this policy shift highlights the ongoing tension between immigration enforcement and the practical needs of key industries reliant on immigrant labor.
The implications of this reversal will likely resonate through both the agricultural and hospitality sectors as they adjust to the evolving landscape of immigration policy under the Trump administration.
As the situation develops, stakeholders in these industries will be closely monitoring the effects of this new guidance on their workforce and operational stability.
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