A new poll released by ABIC and conducted by the Tarrance Group shows a large majority of voters in key battleground states support President Trump鈥檚 recent comments on allowing long-term, trusted undocumented immigrants working in agriculture, hospitality, and food service to receive work permits and remain in the U.S. .
鈥淭hese results demonstrate an unprecedented consensus among voters of all political backgrounds鈥攁nd especially Republicans鈥攖hat trusted, long-term undocumented workers who contribute to our farms, hotels, and restaurants deserve stability and the opportunity to keep supporting our communities and economy,鈥�
-Rebecca Shi, CEO of ABIC
President Trump鈥檚 proposal has united battleground Republicans, Independents, Democrats, and Hispanic voters around a pragmatic solution that benefits our economy.” Rebecca Shi, CEO of ABIC
BJ Martino, CEO and President at the Tarrance Group, added, 鈥淰oters across the political spectrum agree with President Trump that these workers are essential.鈥�
More from the ABIC Network:
ABIC Member Prairieland Dairy Hosts Nebraska Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE 1), Mainstreet Republican Caucus Chairman
Prairieland Dairy in Firth, Nebraska, gave Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE1 ) a tour of their operation this week and shared some of the labor challenges they, and the dairy industry as a whole, are facing.
Darren Mueller, operator of Prairieland Dairy, was one of the more than 200 business leaders to sign an ABIC letter to President Trump and Congress earlier this month, encouraging them to prioritize commonsense immigration solutions to Secure America鈥檚 Workforce including the bipartisan Dignity Act and Farm Workforce Modernization Act.
Prairieland Dairy operates a 24/7 dairy farm with a herd of approximately 1,200 cows. The farm produces over 16,000 gallons of milk daily.
U.S.Congressman Gabe Evans (R-CO-08) Hosts Dignity Act Roundtable with ABIC Employer Attendees
Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO-08) hosted a roundtable on the in his district this week. Seven employers from the ABIC and Comit茅 de 100 network participated, asking thoughtful questions about the legislation and expressing their gratitude for Rep. Evans鈥� leadership and support.
| The Dignity Act: Work Authorization, Not Amnesty |
| The Dignity Act, a bipartisan immigration reform bill introduced by Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) with support from 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats, offers a path to legal status and work permits while strengthening border security. Some of the key provisions of the bill include: |
| Border Security: Invests in border infrastructure and managementWork Authorization: A 7-year earned legal status program allowing undocumented immigrants to live and work legally, renewable based on statusDreamer Protections: Grants legal status and a path to citizenshipMandatory E-Verify: Mandates employment verifiability of new hires and protects 91探花 jobsAsylum Reform: Reforms screenings and establishes regional processing centers |
As ICE raids continue to disrupt worksites, including a July 23 raid at the construction site of a school in Alabama, construction contractors are uniting with ABIC to call for change.
ABIC, business leaders and construction organizations, including 37 chapters of the Associated General Contractors, urged the administration in an for foreign labor in line with suggestions President Trump has made repeatedly this summer.
鈥淵ou have secured our border 鈥� now you can succeed where previous administrations have failed to do 鈥� securing America鈥檚 workforce by instituting your work permit program,鈥� reads the letter.
ABIC鈥檚 support for a legal and expanded work permit program for people who work in agriculture, hospitality, elder care and other industries with labor shortages was featured in an ABC report from Arizona. The report highlighted the story of a woman, known as Esther, who works as a caregiver for elderly people and is working in fear:
鈥淚 really consider the United States my home and my safe place. I love this country.鈥� – Elder Care Worker 鈥淓sther鈥�
鈥淎BIC says the U.S. faces a growing senior care crisis with one in four long-term care workers being an immigrant. Projections are that 3.5 million more healthcare workers are needed overall by 2030,鈥� the report stated.
Take Action with ABIC
Join 200+ other business leaders and employers and sign onto the letter to President Trump calling for commonsense immigration solutions to Secure America’s Workforce:
Secure America鈥檚 Workforce: D.C. Summit | Oct. 21鈥�23, 2025
Registration is open for ABIC鈥檚 biggest fly-in yet 鈥� and we want you with us in Washington, D.C.
This October, join business leaders, advocates, and coalition partners from across the country to:
- Speak directly with lawmakers about real workforce challenges
- Champion commonsense, bipartisan immigration solutions
- Stand united with leaders from agriculture, construction, hospitality, healthcare, and more
Already registered? Help us build momentum, forward this invite to your network.
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Paola Clouatre, a 25-year-old Mexican national, was released from ICE detention in Louisiana this week after nearly two months in custody. Her release came after an unexpected intervention from Senator John Kennedy, a Republican ally of President Trump known for supporting strict immigration enforcement.
Clouatre was detained during a routine green card appointment in May, unaware that a 2018 deportation order had been issued after her mother missed a court hearing years earlier. Clouatre, who entered the U.S. as a teenager seeking asylum, is now married to a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
Economists are closely watching the shrinking labor supply as fewer immigrants enter the workforce, immigration raids deter workers, and an aging U.S. population leads to more retirements. Job growth needs have dropped from 166,000 jobs per month to just 86,000, due to the end of an immigration surge, says economist Jed Kolko.
USA Today reported , which has reduced the foreign-born workforce by over 1 million in four months. From 2019 to 2024, immigrants made up 88% of the nation鈥檚 , according to a report by the
Industries like agriculture, construction, and food service and many unskilled jobs remain unfilled.
“It will be difficult or impossible for some companies in (affected) industries to replace lost workers鈥his puts upward pressure on inflation as wages go higher and companies raise prices to afford the higher wage bills,” -Moody’s Economist Marisa DiNatale
Production is down 70% at Glenn Valley Foods, a meat processing plant in Omaha, after 76 workers were arrested in an ICE raid last month and more are now too frightened to come to work. The company used E-Verify and took the steps they鈥檇 been taught to hire legally, but still got 鈥渃aught up in a broken system,鈥� says Gary Rohwer, owner of the company.
鈥淲e鈥檙e building back up from ground zero鈥鈥檓 still furious about what happened to our people, but we have to keep the machines running,鈥� Rohwer said.
Elizabeth Rodriguez, is a 46-year-old mother and one of the detained workers. She has lived in Omaha for 25 years building a life for her family that is now unraveling, including her youngest son now suffering panic attacks. Despite Elizabeth鈥檚 clean record and a promising immigration case, she remains detained.
鈥淚t鈥檚 terrible for everyone鈥鈥檝e seen whole companies go under after a raid. The supply chain stalls. Beef prices go up. Consumers pay more,鈥� said Alfredo Moreno, the new HR Director trying to help get the company back and running.
As more than a million immigrants face losing legal status and deportation with the shutdown of programs like TPS and CHNV, the changes have caused abrupt job losses at major facilities, including GE Appliances in Kentucky and Kraft Heinz in Michigan.
At GE, over 125 workers were forced out, leading to missed production targets and chaotic shifts. At Kraft Heinz, remaining staff are working overtime, and union leaders warn that further mass terminations could devastate operations and worker wellbeing.
鈥淲e had people there for 20 years, and all of a sudden they get notification their immigration authorization is revoked,鈥� said Tomas Torres, a maintenance mechanic of 13 years at Kraft Heinz, and president of RWDSU Local 705.
He and others have been working 12 to 14 hour days.
鈥淭he lack of people on the lines. There are employees running two machines; it should be one person per machine鈥ou catch people falling asleep on the line, and it鈥檚 a big safety issue,鈥� Tomas Torres, Maintenance Mechanic and president of RWDSU Local 705.
The , The Chicago Tribune reported, with over 600 laid off in April 2025 due to a federal order requiring the termination of workers without documentation, leaving employees scrambling and the factory with a much-reduced workforce.
Reuters: In Mobile, Alabama, a $20 million recreation center project is now three weeks behind schedule after half the workforce stopped showing up, spooked by a raid 230 miles away in Florida. Industry leaders say fear of raids is leading entire crews to abandon job sites. With about 1.4 million undocumented workers in construction鈥攎ore than any other industry鈥攖he sector is especially vulnerable.
“I am a Trump supporter, but I just don’t think the raids is the answer,” -Robby Robertson, a construction site superintendent in Alabama
The Trump administration plans to overhaul the H-1B visa system to prioritize higher-paying employers, saying the aim is to combat any use of the program to bring in workers willing to accept lower salaries than 91探花 workers, while also supporting tech companies that rely on skilled foreign workers.
Joseph Edlow, the new director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the program should 鈥渟upplement, not supplant, U.S. economy and U.S. businesses and U.S. workers.鈥�
Forbes: The Trump administration released an AI Action Plan last week that notably omits any mention of immigration, despite the critical role that international talent plays in advancing the artificial intelligence industry in the U.S.
The systemic barriers in immigration could 鈥渢hreaten 91探花 AI leadership鈥� and likely cause a dramatic decline in the quantity of talent in the U.S., said
Fights in the Courts
A federal judge in San Francisco has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal, affecting about 60,000 people who have lived in the U.S. for over 20 years.
Judge Trina Thompson’s decision postpones the terminations until a hearing in November, instead of beginning August 5.
A federal appeals court is asking for confirmation of whether the Trump administration set a quota of 3,000 deportations or arrests per day. Judges raised concerns that pressure to meet targets may be leading to broad, indiscriminate immigration sweeps, especially in Los Angeles. A lower court previously blocked these raids, citing reliance on race, language, and job type instead of individual suspicion.
Get Involved
- Secure your spot today for ABIC鈥檚 Secure America鈥檚 Workforce 鈥� October Fly-In and Policy Summit in Washington, DC.
- Join one of ABIC’s Councils of 100 and let your voice be heard with your peers – . The Council of 100 is a coalition of top business leaders working to advance common-sense workforce solutions.
- Share your story: If your business is interested in engaging with the press as part of ABIC or amplifying your story on social media, take this to let us know your preferences.
- We’re hiring! ABIC is looking for a new Field Director to help lead our national campaigns. Learn more and apply here.
Key Employer Resources:
- DACA Legal Update
- A new court ruling has major implications for DACA recipients and their employers. Learn how to support your workforce, ensure compliance, and stay ahead of changes:
ABIC in the news. . .
- Washington Times: (8/1/25)
- ABC15: (7/30/25)
- Equipment World: (7/28/25)
- Axios: (7/18/25)
- WSOC TV: (7/18/25)
- Barron’s: (7/17/25)
- Washington Post: (7/13/25)
- WRAL: (7/17/25)
- El Restaurante: (7/9/25)
- El Restaurante: (7/9/25)
- Politico, 鈥�, (7/8/25)
- NPR, , (7/8/25)
- Newsweek,
- Tampa Bay Times: (06/27/25)
- Newsweek: (06/27/25)