ICE Raids Return To Farms, Hotels And Restaurants As DHS Reverses Course, Escalating Trump's Crackdown On Illegal Immigration: Report

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reversed guidance Monday that had paused Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at farms, hotels and restaurants, potentially impacting labor-intensive sectors and supply chain operations critical to market stability.

What Happened: Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials told agency leaders during a Monday call that workforce site raids must continue at agricultural businesses, hotels and restaurants, the Washington Post reported, citing sources. The reversal comes after internal guidance last week had directed agents to pause such operations.

President Donald Trump‘s administration had initially directed immigration officials to largely halt raids on farms, hotels, restaurants and meatpacking plants, according to the report. The policy shift occurred as ICE operations averaged 2,000 daily arrests, significantly exceeding the 311 daily average under former President Joe Biden.

Recent enforcement actions have targeted retail locations, including Home Depot Inc. (NYSE:HD) stores in Westlake, Whittier and Huntington Park without prior notification.

ICE did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comment.

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Why It Matters: The raids target sectors including agriculture, hospitality and food processing. Trump took office in January, pledging to deport millions of immigrants in the U.S. illegally, with thousands of suspected immigration offenders with no criminal records swept up in recent months.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has opposed federal deployment of over 2,000 National Guard troops and 700 Marines to Los Angeles during immigration protests, marking the first federal National Guard activation without gubernatorial consent since 1965.

Current enforcement operations have prompted protests across major metropolitan areas, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Seattle, with 197 arrests reported in a single day in Los Angeles. The administration has deployed 200 Marines and over 2,000 National Guard members to Los Angeles.

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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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