The Trump administration is moving forward with immigration raids at farms, hotels, and restaurants—despite earlier signs of a possible pause. The move comes after internal debate and criticism from supporters who saw leniency as a betrayal of promises.
Key Facts:
- ICE agents were reportedly told this week to continue conducting immigration raids at farms, hotels, and restaurants.
- Last week, the Trump administration had signaled a pause in raids following a warning from the Department of Agriculture.
- DHS official Tricia McLaughlin stated that “worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone” of ICE’s mission.
- President Trump previously said he wanted a “common sense” approach to avoid deporting long-time workers in the food and hospitality sectors.
- The earlier decision to scale back enforcement drew sharp criticism from supporters and lawmakers like Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY).
The Rest of The Story:
On Monday, officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement held a nationwide call with leaders from 30 field offices to inform them that raids at work sites—including farms and hotels—would continue.
This directly contradicted prior instructions given last Thursday to halt such operations temporarily.
The earlier pause had come after the Department of Agriculture raised concerns that aggressive deportations in rural areas could hurt the food supply chain.
But the Department of Homeland Security quickly responded with a firmer tone.
“There will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts,” said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, according to The Washington Post.
NEWSMAX: Can you clarify where the administration stands on immigration raids at worksites or hotels?
DHS OFFICIAL TRICIA McLAUGHLIN: This is places where we do find the worst of the worst, so we will continue to do that pic.twitter.com/G5Vr4MGiQz
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 17, 2025
President Trump had appeared to waver on the issue, expressing empathy for long-term undocumented workers who’ve helped American farmers.
“They have very good workers who have worked for them for 20 years… they’re not citizens, but they’ve turned out to be great,” Trump said.
Commentary:
The Trump administration’s decision to resume full enforcement at worksites is the right move—for both policy and principle.
Any attempt to give selective industry exemptions undermines the rule of law.
Immigration enforcement must be consistent, not subject to special-interest carve-outs.
When farmers, hotel operators, and meatpacking plants are given a pass, it sends the wrong message: break the law long enough, and you might get rewarded.
That’s unfair to other employers who play by the rules and to the millions of Americans still looking for work.
The argument that “good workers” should be spared deportation might sound sympathetic, but it sets a dangerous precedent.
Good character doesn’t erase illegal status.
If someone has been here illegally for 20 years, that speaks as much to enforcement failure as it does to work ethic.
Moreover, industries lobbying for leniency are prioritizing cheap labor over American security.
The Department of Agriculture’s concerns about destabilizing the food supply are legitimate—but not at the expense of sovereignty and border enforcement.
President Trump’s initial remarks showed a softer tone, perhaps influenced by pressure from rural business interests.
But public backlash, including from grassroots supporters and lawmakers like Rep. Massie, likely reminded the White House that immigration enforcement is a core pillar of its platform.
Worksite enforcement should never be politicized or paused for the sake of convenience.
The law must apply to every business equally—whether it’s a farm in Iowa or a hotel in Florida.
Kudos to the Trump administration for listening to its base, reversing course, and restoring integrity to immigration policy.
Upholding the law should never be optional.
The Bottom Line:
The Trump administration is backtracking on its earlier guidance and telling ICE to resume deportation raids at farms, hotels, and restaurants.
The reversal came after sharp criticism from supporters who viewed leniency as betrayal.
This move reaffirms that immigration enforcement must apply to all industries equally—without favoritism.
Upholding the law is a core responsibility of government, and every carve-out weakens it.
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