ICE raids return, sparking labor shortages across farms and hotels

(NewsNation) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids are creating a crisis across key industries as enforcement actions target U.S. farms, restaurants and construction sites.

Business owners describe the atmosphere in one word: panic. A temporary pause on worksite immigration raids has ended, and ICE is once again operating at full force.

Farms in Texas, California operating at 30% capacity

Markets in downtown Los Angeles, once bustling for decades, now sit deserted. Some legal immigrants are afraid to show up for work, fearing they may be caught up in broad ICE sweeps.

"It's a ghost town pretty much right now," said Juan Ibarra, who owns a vegetable and fruit outlet in Los Angeles. "My workers kind of got a little bit spooked last week because they saw a couple of people outside, so they're like 'I'm out of here.' I'm like, 'Yeah, go ahead.'"

The pause on worksite immigration raids at hotels, farms and restaurants lasted four days before the Trump administration reversed course and resumed aggressive enforcement. ICE is once again targeting not only those industries but also food processing plants.

"Forty percent of the workforce in the construction industry is immigrants, both documented and undocumented, said Pablo Alvarado, co-director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

In California and Texas, some farms are operating at only 30% capacity. Some restaurants in Los Angeles are closing early or skipping lunch service entirely. In the Midwest, at least one meatpacking plant saw dozens of workers arrested last week.

Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha, Nebraska, was the site of the state's "largest worksite enforcement operation," the Homeland Security Department said. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., told local media that 75 to 80 people were detained.

Now, ICE is extending its reach to construction sites and home improvement retailers in multiple states.

Latisha, a day laborer who asked not to reveal her last name or show her face, described going to work as “walking into the lion’s den.” She said it feels unsafe; however, staying how isn't an option for many.

Without a clear plan to fill the positions left by missing workers, the labor shortage could spread.

Raids about 'enforcing the law': White House

Already, the impacts are mounting: Crop delays, reduced hours and staffing in restaurants and hotels, slowed food production, and work stoppages across construction sites have been reported.

The White House has insisted the raids are about enforcing immigration law. However, many business owners have said the crackdown is hurting the economy.

Five months into President Donald Trump’s second term, Americans’ views on his mass deportation program are coming into sharper focus.

According to new polling from the Economist and YouGov, ICE now holds a net unfavorable rating of -5, with 47% of respondents expressing a negative view of the agency. A majority — 52% — say they disapprove of how Trump is handling immigration overall.