The Department of Homeland Security says its immigration policies remain unchanged. The statement comes amid mixed messages from President Trump and news reports about a federal guidance that said ICE officers would largely pause some workplace raids and arrests.
The confusion began earlier this month when The New York Times obtained documentation that ICE was going to scale down on workplace raids in the meatpacking, farming, hotel and restaurant industries. Adding to that was a social media post by Trump last week indicating that “change” was coming in the approach to these industries. The president acknowledged he has heard from farmers and hotel owners who have said enforcement efforts were hurting both workers and employers.
But on Tuesday, DHS indicated there had been no change in policy.
DHS assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued this statement to NPR: "The President has been incredibly clear. There will be no safe spaces for industries who harbor violent criminals or purposely try to undermine ICE’s efforts. Worksite enforcement remains a cornerstone of our efforts to safeguard public safety, national security and economic stability. These operations target illegal employment networks that undermine American workers, destabilize labor markets and expose critical infrastructure to exploitation."
Meanwhile, across the Mountain West, workers and their advocates remained concerned about ICE and its policies. In Nevada, Culinary Union Secretary-Treasurer Ted Papageorge said the crackdowns are impacting local communities.
“The vast majority of immigrant workers have been here for five years, 10 years, 15 years,” he said. “They’re paying taxes, raising their families…they go to our churches, their kids go to our schools, and they deserve the right to work and stay.”
Last weekend, hundreds of protests took place across the country questioning President Trump and his administration’s policies, including its immigration enforcement efforts, which have included arrests and detentions at some workplaces.
Many critics say the efforts go too far and point to Trump administration statements saying that dangerous criminals would be targeted.
“When we see parents that are otherwise peaceful and working in this economy and paying taxes, I think the average voter looks at this and says, this is wrong,” said Papageorge
McLaughlin told the Mountain West News Bureau in a statement that workplace operations “target illegal employment networks that undermine American workers.”
