ICE pauses deportations for workers in certain industries
Image: Marco Bello/Reuters
On the campaign trail and during his first months in office, President Trump has consistently said he plans to try deporting all of the millions of immigrants who are in the US illegally—regardless of their work, taxpaying, or criminal status.
But late last week, the Trump admin carved out an exception to those plans: unauthorized immigrants working in the agriculture or hospitality industries.
Catch up quick: In a Truth Social post on Thursday, Trump said his “very aggressive policy” on immigration is starting to take workers away from farmers and people in the hotel/leisure business.
- Hours later, a senior ICE official sent an email to agents nationwide saying to "please hold on all worksite enforcement investigations/operations on agriculture (including aquaculture and meatpacking plants), restaurants, and operating hotels."
- The email added that its request only applies to unauthorized immigrants who aren’t convicted or suspected of other crimes.
Why agriculture and hospitality? Trump said these industries—especially farmers—were singled out for exceptions because they’re disproportionately affected by his ongoing deportation efforts.
- ~1 million unauthorized immigrants are employed at US hospitality companies, the second-highest for any industry.
- 42% of all US crop farmworkers from 2020 to 2022 lacked legal status, per the Agriculture Department.
- Growers across California reported that 30%-60% of workers stopped reporting to the fields in the days after ICE raids started last Tuesday, per the NY Times ($).
The reversal is part of an ongoing debate. Republicans are currently at odds over how wide of a net ICE should cast when seeking to deport unauthorized immigrants in the US. Some GOP lawmakers are urging the government to focus mainly on convicted criminals and avoid those employed in certain areas, while other leading Republican voices want the Trump admin to keep targeting all unauthorized migrants for deportation, regardless of their status.
đź“Š Flash poll: In your opinion, which of the following is the best strategy regarding the potential deportation of unauthorized migrants in America?
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Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that Trump’s strategy of mass deportations will be harder to sustain than it might now appear, as immigrant labor is a vital part of the US economy and will become even more important as the US-born workforce continues shrinking.
- Others contend that Trump’s militarized mass deportation policies aren’t just thoughtless and cruel—they have, in many instances, been executed illegally, and protesters across California and the US are correct in assuming silence in the face of such tyranny is unacceptable.
- “Why Trump’s get-tough-on-immigrants strategy will be hard to sustain” –WaPo Editorial Board
- “Donald Trump is losing. Here’s how California can keep the pressure on” –San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board
- “Trump’s morally bankrupt mass deportation plan revels in cruelty and brutality” –Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial Board
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that President Trump is right to listen to alarms from farmers and others and offer a reprieve from immigration raids for the agriculture and hospitality industries, and should focus his efforts instead on criminals who are in the country illegally.
- Others contend that America does need mass deportations of illegal immigrants to restore order to the country’s system, and Democrats are proving that point for all the world to see with their widespread violent protests in recent days.
- “Trump’s Good Deportation Exceptions” –WSJ Editorial Board
- “The Left proves that we need mass deportations” –Brady Leonard, Washington Examiner
- “If we can’t deport illegals, here's how we can make it impossible to stay” –David Marcus, Fox News
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