Agencia EFE
The Department of Homeland Security has reversed its policy softening immigration raids on farms, hotels, and restaurants—despite President Donald Trump’s earlier suggestion that these sectors might be spared from mass deportations, according to The Washington Post.
Senior ICE officials directed agents in a private call to continue arresting undocumented workers in agriculture, hospitality, and food service, two sources familiar with the discussion told the paper.
The move directly contradicts Trump’s stance last Thursday, when growing backlash from farmers and business owners forced him to reconsider.
“Our incredible farmers and hospitality leaders keep telling me our tough immigration policies are costing them their best workers—people they’ve relied on for years,” Trump posted on social media. “These jobs are almost impossible to fill. Changes are coming.”
Sources say the president began reconsidering his approach after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warned of mounting economic damage to ranchers and hoteliers losing their workforce.
ICE had briefly relented: On Friday, a top agency official emailed staff urging paused operations at affected businesses, and as recently as Monday, authorities told NBC raids would be temporarily halted.
But immigration hardliners appear to have won out. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick of the American Immigration Council singled out Trump advisor Stephen Miller in a social media post:
“Miller gets his way. Farms, restaurants, and hotels are back on ICE’s target list, with agents under heavy pressure to hit 3,000 arrests daily.”
