Fact Check: Trump expressed alarm about the impact of aggressive immigration enforcement on industries such as agriculture, hotels, and restaurants, leading to a directive to pause arrests in these sectors.

Fact Check: Trump Expressed Alarm About Immigration Enforcement Impacting Key Industries

What We Know

In June 2025, reports emerged that President Donald Trump directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to pause immigration raids in the agricultural, hotel, and restaurant sectors. This decision followed Trump's acknowledgment that aggressive immigration enforcement was negatively affecting these industries, which rely heavily on immigrant labor. According to an internal email from a senior ICE official, Tatum King, the directive was aimed at halting worksite enforcement operations in these sectors, allowing only for investigations related to serious crimes like human trafficking and drug smuggling (New York Times, CBS News).

Trump's concerns were reportedly influenced by feedback from farmers and hospitality executives who expressed that the crackdown was making it difficult to retain workers. He stated on social media that the aggressive immigration policy was "taking very good, long time workers away from them" and that these jobs were "almost impossible to replace" (AP News, ABC News). The Department of Homeland Security confirmed this shift in policy, indicating that it was a response to the pressures from industries that Trump wanted to support (Washington Post).

Analysis

The claim that Trump expressed alarm about the impact of immigration enforcement on key industries and subsequently directed a pause in raids is supported by multiple credible sources. The New York Times and AP News both reported on the internal directive from ICE, confirming that the administration aimed to reduce enforcement actions in sectors critical to the economy (New York Times, AP News).

The sources are reliable, as they include statements from officials within the Trump administration and documented communications from ICE. The New York Times, for instance, has a long-standing reputation for investigative journalism, while the Associated Press is known for its factual reporting.

However, it's important to note that shortly after this directive, there was a reversal of the guidance, indicating ongoing tensions within the administration regarding immigration policy. The Washington Post reported that ICE was instructed to continue raids in these sectors, reflecting the conflicting pressures from different factions within the Trump administration (Washington Post). This reversal suggests that while Trump did express concern, the implementation of policies was subject to internal disagreements.

Conclusion

The claim that Trump expressed alarm about the impact of aggressive immigration enforcement on industries such as agriculture, hotels, and restaurants, leading to a directive to pause arrests in these sectors, is True. The evidence from multiple reputable sources confirms that Trump acknowledged the negative effects of his administration's immigration policies on these industries and directed ICE to pause raids accordingly. However, the subsequent reversal of this directive highlights the complexities and conflicts within the administration regarding immigration enforcement.

Sources

1. Trump pauses ICE arrests at farms, hotels and other key industries | AP News
2. Trump Shifts Deportation Focus, Pausing Most Raids on Farms, Hotels and Restaurants | New York Times
3. Trump officials reverse guidance exempting farms, hotels from immigration raids | Washington Post
4. ICE directed to pause immigration arrests at farms, hotels and restaurants | CBS News
5. Trump curbs immigration enforcement at farms, meatpacking plants, hotels | ABC News
6. ICE ordered to pause most raids on farms, hotels and restaurants | MSN
7. Trump curbs ICE at farms, meatpackers, hotels, restaurants - My News 13
8. Donald Trump directs ICE to pause certain immigration raids | The Hill