The Trump administration announced that immigration enforcement agencies could resume worksite raids in agriculture, hotels, and restaurants. This means that immigration enforcement agencies will be allowed to resume the practice of entering worksites where large numbers of illegal aliens are likely employed, regardless of industry.
Last week, President Trump announced in a press conference that there would be a change in immigration enforcement policy. The Department of Agriculture claimed that deporting illegals working on farms could destabilize the food supply. The president offered de facto amnesty for “very good workers who have worked for them for 20 years.” He halted worksite raids on farms, in hotels, and in restaurants. Last Thursday, a senior official in ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agency sent out an email confirming a pause on all worksite enforcement actions in agriculture, hotels, and restaurants. Investigations for human trafficking and other serious crimes in these industries could continue, but importantly, the order also put a pause on collateral deportations, or other illegal aliens who were found in the course of investigation into these serious crimes.
Republicans and border security groups pushed back, claiming that amnesty was not the answer or what they voted for, and that the administration should stay the course, particularly in the face of violent anti-ICE protests in many of our major cities.
Upon the Trump administration’s approval to resume worksite arrests across all industries, the Department of Homeland Security announced, “There will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts.” They will be using worksite enforcement to ensure the safety and security of our nation.
We at Texans for Strong Borders believe the Trump administration’s reversal, allowing worksite raids to resume in industries that hire large numbers of illegal aliens, is a significant and positive development. We stand in full support of immigration enforcement agencies aiming to deport every single person who is unlawfully present in our great nation.