Fact Check: "On June 14, 2025, the Trump administration directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to halt arrests at farms, hotels, and restaurants due to concerns that immigration enforcement was negatively impacting these industries."
What We Know
On June 14, 2025, the Trump administration indeed directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to pause arrests at farms, hotels, and restaurants. This decision came after President Trump expressed concerns about the negative impact of aggressive immigration enforcement on these industries, which heavily rely on immigrant labor (AP News). The directive was communicated by Tatum King, an official with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations unit, who instructed regional leaders to halt investigations in the agricultural sector, including meatpacking plants and restaurants (New York Times).
The decision followed a period of increased enforcement, where ICE had been targeting approximately 3,000 arrests per day, a significant rise from the 650 daily arrests made earlier in Trump's second term (AP News). Trump's social media post indicated his disapproval of the impact on farmers and hospitality workers, stating that the aggressive policy was causing a shortage of "very good, long time workers" (New York Times).
Analysis
The claim that the Trump administration directed ICE to halt arrests at farms, hotels, and restaurants is supported by multiple reputable sources. The Associated Press, New York Times, and Reuters all reported on the directive, confirming that it was a response to concerns from agricultural and hospitality sectors about labor shortages due to immigration enforcement (AP News, New York Times, Reuters).
The reliability of these sources is high; both the AP and the New York Times are established news organizations known for their journalistic standards. The information was corroborated by officials within the Trump administration, including a spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security, who confirmed the directive's existence and intent (AP News).
However, there are indications that this decision was controversial within the administration, with some officials expressing frustration over the shift in policy, which could be seen as a retreat from the hardline stance that had characterized Trump's immigration approach (New York Times). This internal conflict adds complexity to the narrative but does not negate the fact that the directive was issued.
Conclusion
The claim that the Trump administration directed ICE to halt arrests at farms, hotels, and restaurants on June 14, 2025, is True. The decision was made in response to concerns about the impact of immigration enforcement on industries reliant on immigrant labor, and it was confirmed by multiple credible sources within the media and the administration.
Sources
- Trump pauses ICE arrests at farms, hotels and other key industries | AP
- Trump Shifts Deportation Focus, Pausing Most Raids on Farms, Hotels and ... | New York Times
- ICE ordered to pause most raids on farms, hotels and ... | Reuters
- Inside Trump's Extraordinary Turnaround on Immigration ... | New York Times
- ICE directed to pause immigration arrests at farms, hotels and ... | CBS News
