President Trump had promised changes to protect some migrant workers in the Truth Social Post on June 12th, but his administration changed course
Trump orders the ice to expel more illegal immigrants in LA in Chicago
President Trump has ordered the ice to implement the “largest deportation program in history” by expanding its activities in the Democrat-led cities.
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration will continue to raid immigrants at farms, hotels and restaurants, quickly overturning the course after President Donald Trump vowed to protect immigrants in these industries due to a labor shortage last week.
The move, confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security, was first reported by the Washington Post. The Washington Post detailed the White House rifts over the exemption policy that Trump discussed in his remarks and social media posts on June 12.
On one end was Trump’s agricultural secretary, Brooke Rollins, who communicated to Trump concerns in the agricultural industry about losing workers due to the president’s massive deportation. But Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at White House and the top architect of Trump’s immigration agenda, reported opposed sculptures in certain industries.
“The president was incredibly clear. There is no safe space for industries that embrace violent criminals or deliberately undermine ice efforts,” DHS Deputy Secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, in a statement to USA Today.
“Workplace enforcement is the basis of our efforts to safeguard public safety, national security and economic stability,” she added. “These businesses target illegal employment networks that undermine American workers, destabilize the labour market and expose critical infrastructure to exploitation.”
Trump pledged changes to protect immigrants in the agriculture, hotel and leisure industries in the Truth Social Post on June 12th. This admitted that ice officials extended their arrests beyond immigrants convicted of violent crimes.
“Our farmers are seriously hurt,” Trump said in a statement later that day, reflecting the concerns raised by Rollins. “You know, they have very good workers. They’ve been working for them for 20 years. They’re not citizens, but they turn out you know.”
Trump’s new stance appeared to undermine his long-standing massive deportation policy, which was a hallmark of his 2024 campaign.
About 42% of U.S. farm workers lacked legal status between 2020 and 2022, according to the US Department of Homeland Security.
According to the mail, DHS officials sent an email on June 12th telling agents to “hold all enforcement investigations/operations of the farm facility (including aquaculture and meat packaging plants), restaurants and operating hotels.”
But over the weekend, ICE and the agency’s Homeland Security Research Division began learning that new policies would be reversed. ICE officials confirmed in a June 16 call to agency leaders that migrant raids must continue at farms, hotels and restaurants.
Democrat critics of Trump’s hard-pressed immigration agenda laughed at Trump’s changing position. “In the end, Stephen Miller looks like a boss. Trump stepped into his own staff, pathetic,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in an X post.
White House officials confirmed the changed course and told USA Today that everyone in the United States is at risk of deportation.
Three days after Trump announced short-lived sculptures for certain immigrants, Trump instructed ice officials on June 15 to intensify efforts to detain and deport immigrants from large democratic cities. It marked an escalation of his crackdown on illegal immigration despite millions of demonstrators opposed the policy during the recent “No Kings” protests.
In a post about True Society, Trump challenged ice officers to “do everything in their power to achieve the very important goal of providing the largest deportation program in history.” He urged them to increase their activities in Democrat-led cities, and picked out Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.
The Trump administration budget document released last week was released by US immigration and customs enforcement agencies that aimed to deport one million migrants a year, according to Reuters.
ICE arrested more than 100,000 people suspected of violating immigration laws from January 20th to the first week of June, according to the White House. This figure amounts to an average of 750 arrests per day. It’s twice the average over the past decade.
Still, the pace of arrests is far below what Trump needs to banish millions of people. In late May, Miller set a quota for at least 3,000 arrests per day, telling ICE leadership should target people without legal status.
Contribution: Reuters
Reach Joey Garrison with X @joeygarrison.
