Trump's Conflicting Messages on Workplace Raids Leave Businesses Reeling
President Trump is sending conflicting messages about his immigration crackdown, promising a reprieve for certain industries that rely on immigrant labor while doubling down on his promise to arrest and deport anyone who is living in the United States illegally.
The situation has left business owners unclear on exactly what the Trump policy is, just days after the president said 'changes are coming' to help people in the farming and hospitality industries whose employees are too scared to show up for work.
'One minute you have a message saying they won't go after agriculture, the next something else,' said Manuel Cunha Jr., president of the Nisei Farmers League, a growers organization in the Central Valley of California.
Mr. Cunha said it was causing 'tremendous havoc' in the country's largest agricultural region.
'First thing this morning I got calls from my growers asking, 'Does this mean they are going to come after the workers in the fields?'' Mr. Cunha said.
The muddled messages coming out of the White House and from Trump officials suggest the president is caught between competing factions on an issue that has come to define his political identity and that he credited for his victory last year.
Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
31 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Japan records trade deficit as exports suffer from Trump's tariffs
TOKYO (AP) — Japan's exports fell in May as shipments of autos to the U.S. dropped nearly 25% from a year earlier due to higher tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Exports fell 1.7% year-on-year, which was less than the decline analysts had forecast, the Finance Ministry reported Wednesday. Imports sank 7.7%, reflecting weakening domestic demand and worse than the 2% fall recorded in April. The trade deficit in May was 637.6 billion yen, or $4.4 billion. Japan has yet to reach a deal with Trump on resolving the tariffs issue, with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba saying after he met with the U.S. president at the Group of Seven summit in Canada earlier this week that the two sides were unable to agree on some points. Trump has imposed a 25% additional tariff on Japanese autos and a 24% tariff on other goods. He recently said the auto tariff may become even higher. Ishiba has emphasized that Japan is an important ally in a key bilateral defense alliance with Washington and that he is pushing to protect his own country's national interests. The auto industry is a pillar of Japan's economy, and Japan exports more than a million vehicles to the U.S. a year. Tokyo has repeatedly stressed that automakers like Toyota and Honda produce cars in North America, contributing to the economy and creating jobs. ___ Yuri Kageyama is on Threads
New York Post
31 minutes ago
- New York Post
Mayor Johnson warns Trump against deploying federal troops for immigration crackdown in Chicago
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson voiced concerns Monday about potential federal troop deployment to his city as part of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, warning the move could be unconstitutional and legally challenged. Speaking at a City Hall news conference, Johnson responded to reports of federal plans to escalate immigration enforcement in sanctuary cities like Chicago, calling the idea a threat to civil liberties and local governance. Advertisement 'It's just another example of his animus towards working people,' Johnson said. 'I think it's important that the president respects the Constitution. If you're asking me whether this president will work with city leaders, it's clear he's not interested in doing that.' Johnson's remarks came in response to a statement from a Trump administration official to Rolling Stone, saying, 'Chicago is next, if they go too far,' in reference to recent protests and the city's sanctuary policies. 3 Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson warned against President Trump deploying troops to his city during a City Hall news conference. Advertisement 'The second they do, the president is prepared to prove that nobody is above the law,' the official added. The comments follow anti-ICE and anti-Trump protests in Chicago that echoed demonstrations nationwide, prompting federal officials to reportedly monitor the situation closely, especially after the Trump administration deployed National Guard forces to Los Angeles. 'We will continue to resist,' Johnson said. 3 President Donald Trump speaks at a ceremony before posthumously awarding Medals of Sacrifice to three fallen Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office deputies in the Oval Office of the White House on May 19, 2025, in Washington, DC. Getty Images Advertisement 'Whether it's in the courts, in the streets, or through public policy, we're going to stand up for working people.' Mary Richardson-Lowry, the city's Corporation Counsel, emphasized the legal limitations of such a deployment. 'We believe it is a violation of the Constitution to deploy troops or National Guard absent authority under the Constitution,' she said. 3 Members of the California National Guard and US Marines guard the entrance outside the Wilshire Federal Building, ahead of Saturday's nationwide 'No Kings Day' protest, in Los Angeles, California, on June 13, 2025. AP Advertisement Last week, Johnson called for Chicagoans to 'rise up' against ICE and what he called immigration enforcement 'terrorism.' Chicago has received more than 51,000 migrants from the southern border since August 2022, many bussed from Texas under GOP Gov. Greg Abbott's relocation effort. The latest tensions come after Illinois Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker testified before Congress last week in defense of the state's sanctuary city policies. The mayor's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Morning Bid: Gloom pervades ahead of Fed meet's outcome
A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Rae Wee Markets head into Wednesday's Federal Reserve rates decision with much uncertainty around the global economy, trade and geopolitical ties. With the Israel-Iran air war entering a sixth day, the G7 wealthy nations struggling to find unity over the conflict in Ukraine, and more signs of fragility in the U.S. economy, the drumbeat of negative headlines offered little respite for investors. U.S. President Donald Trump's call for Iran's unconditional surrender and comments from him suggesting a more aggressive stance toward Iran have also stoked worries of greater U.S. involvement. It was again a risk-off tone in markets on Wednesday, with shares in Asia falling and the dollar buoyant. Stock futures similarly pointed to a mostly lower opening in Europe, though oil prices steadied a little after surging more than 4% in the previous session. It's an increasingly difficult line for Fed Chair Jerome Powell and his colleagues to tread given the challenging global backdrop, and much attention on the central bank's policy decision will be on its updated Summary of Economic Projections. For now, markets are still pricing in two Fed cuts by December, but that could very well change should Powell strike a more hawkish tone later in the day. Ahead of the Fed outcome, UK inflation data is also due on Wednesday, where consumer prices are expected to have slowed slightly in May after April's bigger-than-expected surge. The reading comes ahead of a policy decision by the Bank of England on Thursday, where expectations are for the central bank to keep rates on hold. Still, investors will be looking for hints on whether a slowing economy and weaker wage growth could speed up the pace of easing. One of Britain's leading business groups on Wednesday slashed its forecast for economic growth in 2025 and next year due to headwinds from Trump's tariffs and an increase in payroll taxes, a survey showed. Key developments that could influence markets on Wednesday: - Federal Reserve rate decision - UK CPI (May) Trying to keep up with the latest tariff news? Our new daily news digest offers a rundown of the top market-moving headlines impacting global trade. Sign up for Tariff Watch here. Sign in to access your portfolio
