The Trump administration has quietly directed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to pause arrests at farms, restaurants, and hotels, a significant policy reversal stemming from concerns that aggressive immigration enforcement was harming key American industries. Two sources familiar with the abrupt change, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of internal actions, confirmed the directive to CBS News.
The halt on worksite immigration enforcement operations specifically targets the agricultural, hospitality, and restaurant sectors, industries heavily reliant on immigrant labor, much of which is undocumented.
This scaling back of ICE operations signals a growing alarm among industry leaders that the administration’s widespread immigration crackdown was negatively impacting their businesses and the broader U.S. economy by creating fear and instability within their workforce.
READ: Florida Nabs 44 In Statewide Retail Theft Crackdown, Recovers $207,000 In Stolen Goods
This shift marks a notable pivot for the Trump administration, which has consistently vowed to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, regardless of their criminal histories.
The decision also comes amidst a vast expansion of immigration arrests nationwide, which has ignited protests against ICE activities in major U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, where President Trump had deployed the National Guard and U.S. Marines in response to instances of violence.
One source indicated that the catalyst for the sudden decision to limit ICE enforcement was the President’s realization of the extensive scale of the agency’s operations. “Once it hit him, he pulled it back,” the source stated.
READ: Texas Sen. Cruz Warns Of “Judicial Lawfare” As Nationwide Injunctions Proliferate
Trump appeared to foreshadow this policy change earlier in the week during a White House event, where he mentioned an upcoming “order” aimed at protecting farms and hotels that employ immigrant workers.
“We can’t take farmers and take all their people and send them back because they don’t have maybe what they’re supposed to have, maybe not,” Trump said, adding, “We can’t do that to our farmers. And leisure, too. Hotels. We’re gonna have to use a lot of common sense on that.”
When asked about the move, Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin commented, “We will follow the President’s direction and continue to work to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off of America’s streets.”
The New York Times was the first to report on this development.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Connect with us: Follow the Tampa Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for breaking news and updates.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox.
