Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been told to stop making arrests at farms, hotels, and restaurants. This order came from the Trump administration, according to sources who spoke with CBS News. The pause affects industries that rely on immigrant workers, including agriculture, hospitality, and food service. Many of these workers are in the U.S. without legal status.
This move shows a big change in the administration’s approach to immigration enforcement. It comes after business leaders warned that strict ICE actions were scaring workers and hurting the economy. Farms, restaurants, and hotels have reported problems finding enough workers to stay open or complete seasonal work.
According to one source, President Trump did not realize how large ICE operations had become. When he found out, he told the agency to stop raids at key work sites. Earlier in the week, Trump also spoke about the need to protect farms and hotels during a public event. He said the U.S. should use common sense when dealing with immigrant workers in these industries.
The Department of Homeland Security responded by saying that it will now focus on removing people with serious criminal records, rather than conducting wide worksite raids. ICE will still arrest individuals, but not in places like farms or hotels where many undocumented immigrants work.
Recent data shows a sharp rise in ICE arrests. In June, the agency averaged more than 1,300 arrests per day. That is more than twice the daily average during Trump’s first 100 days in office in 2017. On one day alone, more than 56,000 people were being held in ICE detention centers across the country. This is the highest number ever recorded by the agency.
ICE has also started using new tactics to find and arrest people. Officers have gone to court hearings and immigration check-ins to arrest migrants. These actions have led to protests in several major cities. In Los Angeles, the National Guard and U.S. Marines were deployed after some protests turned violent.
The recent pause in worksite raids is seen as a response to pressure from key industries. Many farms say they are losing crops because there are not enough workers. Restaurants and hotels are also struggling to hire staff. Business leaders say the problem is not just pay or working conditions, but fear of being arrested.
President Trump came into office promising to remove millions of undocumented immigrants. His administration has expanded ICE powers and removed protections like DACA. A top aide, Stephen Miller, pushed for 3,000 ICE arrests per day, though that goal has not been met.
This new policy suggests a shift in the White House strategy. It shows that economic needs and pressure from businesses are now influencing immigration enforcement. While ICE will still focus on individuals with criminal records, raids at job sites are no longer a top priority.
