Top News: Border Czar Says Administration Is 鈥淭alking About Policy Changes鈥� For Farmers And Hospitality Now
Border Czar Tom that the Departments of Homeland Security, Labor, and Agriculture are actively discussing possible policy changes related to farmworkers and the hospitality industry.
“The president鈥檚 committed: There will be no amnesty. But there鈥檚 a lot of smart minds at the White House talking about, 鈥業s there something for farmworkers? Is there something for hospitality?”
-White House Border Czar Tom Homan
July 17, 2025
The comments come after President Trump expressed support for farmers and hospitality businesses multiple times this summer, including in early July when he for farm and hotel workers.
and Congress, encouraging them to prioritize commonsense immigration solutions including the bipartisan Dignity Act and Farm Workforce Modernization Act.
Homan said in his interview last week that ICE will follow any official policy changes issued by the administration:
鈥淚 expect something will come out soon鈥y job is to operate within the framework provided me by the administration… So if the president comes up with a policy and says, 鈥極K, here鈥檚 what we鈥檙e going to do with farmworkers,鈥� then ICE will abide by that policy.鈥�
- 55% of 91探花s now disapprove of President Trump鈥檚 handling of immigration, while only 40% approve, . found similar results, but with a smaller delta, with 46% approving, and 53% disapproving
- Below 40% now support deporting all undocumented immigrants 鈥� down from 56% in April, according to the Quinnipiac poll
- Nearly 80% support a pathway to citizenship for long-term undocumented immigrants, says the Quinnipiac poll
- 79% of U.S. adults say immigration is a good thing for the country, according to a
- Net support for mass deportation dropped from +10 before Trump鈥檚 inauguration to -4 as of July 10, according to a
Some GOP congresspeople are warning that mass deportations of undocumented farmworkers could worsen labor shortages, harm already struggling 91探花 farmers and contribute to food insecurity.
- If we can provide a visa program that allows people to work in our agricultural industry using a legal process, that is so much better than encouraging illegal immigration,鈥� -Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI)
- “If we don鈥檛 have reliability of workforce with agricultural production and agricultural processing, then we have food insecurity… and in the end, we have national insecurity.” -Rep. Glenn 鈥淕T鈥澛� Thompson, (R-PA)
- “Now that the southern border is secure…we can start looking at 鈥榟ow do we treat seasonal workers, how do we treat agricultural workers?鈥�” -Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, (R-IA)
Thompson, chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, says he is concerned about how enforcement actions affect both undocumented and documented workers, but is hopeful the administration will act.
鈥淸Y]ou create a fear factor that even people here legally are afraid and don鈥檛 show up. I have shared that very openly with the administration, and I love this administration because they receive feedback鈥nd I have found that they use them in formulating their policies,鈥� he said.
Latest from the ABIC Network
Sneak Peek: Culinary and Hospitality Leaders, Including James Beard Foundation, Uniting with聽 ABIC Action for 鈥楽eat the Table鈥�
ABIC Action is launching a new initiative in early August in partnership with the James Beard Foundation and more than a dozen leading restaurant, food and wine associations to advocate for work permits for long-term, tax-paying immigrants as a first step in commonsense reform.
America鈥檚 food and hospitality industries face over one million unfilled jobs, threatening the survival of restaurants, bars, farms, and hotels. Immigrant workers make up over 20% of the restaurant workforce and 36% of restaurant owners, and are essential to keeping these businesses running and supporting local economies. Read more about the platform here, and we鈥檙e excited to share more with you soon.
ABIC member and farmer Shay Myers had a conversation with PBS News to discuss the vital impact immigrant workers have on agriculture businesses, communities, and America鈥檚 food supply.
鈥淚f we snap our fingers and every immigrant, undocumented worker is gone from this country, we will not eat in this country. And it sounds like an exaggeration, but it is not,鈥� Myers said.
鈥淚 went to school with kids that were undocumented. My kids go to school in a small town with kids who may not be documented. If we’re going to do things the right way, we need to think about the human, ethical side of mass deportation.鈥�
Almost 90,000 undocumented immigrants live in Utah, and nearly half have resided in the state for more than 15 years. Recent ICE raids have disrupted Utah鈥檚 restaurant industry, with some immigrants being too afraid to show up to work.
BA recent ICE raid at Louisiana鈥檚 Delta Downs racetrack detained 84 workers and triggered industry-wide panic, emphasizing the deep reliance on undocumented labor in horse racing. Horses were left unattended, and nearby tracks cleared out amid fear of further raids. With immigrant labor powering 20% of the U.S. workforce, heightened enforcement is creating sudden, costly disruptions across industries
鈥淭he solution should be: People who are here working, paying taxes, who may not be authorized鈥攚e should bring them out of the shadows,鈥� says Rebecca Shi
ABIC and business leaders and Congress last week, including leaders from the construction industry, encouraging them to prioritize commonsense immigration solutions.
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.
Register now or share the link: Enforcement News
In the six months since Donald Trump took office, immigration enforcement has intensified dramatically. A Guardian analysis of new data shows:
- 268% increase in average daily ICE arrests in June 2025 compared to June 2024
- Over 13,500 people above capacity in detention centers
- Over 8,100 people deported to countries that are not their home country
- Majority of those arrested have no criminal convictions
Axios: Newly obtained data shows a sharp rise in ICE arrests of people without criminal charges or convictions in June, following a Trump administration directive that tripled ICE鈥檚 daily arrest quota from 1,000 to 3,000.
By mid-June, non-criminals made up 47% of daily ICE arrests鈥攗p from 21% in early May. Although arrests of those with charges also rose, the increase was far less dramatic. As of June 26, ICE averaged 930 daily arrests, with 42% involving people without any charges or convictions.
Gov. Mike Braun, a strong Trump ally, is voicing concern over a surge in ICE arrests of undocumented immigrants without criminal charges in Indiana. While reaffirming support for deporting those who commit crimes after entering the U.S. illegally, Braun emphasized a 鈥渨orst first鈥� approach.
In January, only 6% of ICE arrests in Indiana involved non-criminals, increasing to 23% by June.
“If that data is correct, I’d say that should raise eyebrows,” Braun said. 鈥淚’ve been clearly on record: the worst first. And there are many of them out there.”
Watch:
A reported 11 people were arrested during an immigration enforcement operation at the Loxley Elementary School construction site.
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.聽
- 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. . .
- 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)听
- El Restaurante: (7/9/25)听
- Politico, 鈥�, (7/8/25)
- NPR, , (7/8/25)
- Newsweek,
- Tampa Bay Times: (06/27/25)
- Newsweek: (06/27/25)
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How Trump鈥檚 anti-immigrant policies could collapse the US food industry 鈥� visualized
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/17/how-many-immigrants-food-industry-workers