DHS Temporarily Halts ICE Worksite Raids in Key U.S. Industries Following Trump Statement

In a significant shift in immigration enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reportedly ordered a pause on worksite raids conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeting the agriculture, hospitality, and restaurant sectors. This policy change comes in response to a social media post made by President Trump, which raised concerns about the economic consequences of broad enforcement actions within industries that rely heavily on immigrant labor.

President Trump, in a post on Truth Social, acknowledged that aggressive immigration policies were having unintended consequences for American businesses, particularly farms and establishments in the hotel and leisure industries. He noted that these sectors have struggled to replace long-term workers affected by ICE operations. “Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace,” the President wrote, adding that while enforcement will continue against individuals with criminal backgrounds, changes are forthcoming to ease the burden on key industries.

This temporary pause reflects a more targeted approach to enforcement—one that prioritizes the removal of individuals with serious criminal records over large-scale workplace raids. While the order may offer short-term relief to employers and undocumented workers in these sectors, it is not a blanket policy change. Employers are still required to comply with federal employment verification laws, and unauthorized workers remain subject to removal under immigration statutes.

As this policy develops, businesses and workers alike are advised to consult with immigration counsel to assess how this shift may impact their rights and responsibilities under current law.