
7 Tips On What To Do In An ICE Raid At Your Workplace
As ICE raids happen with greater frequency across the country, many employers and employees are caught off guard, and innocent bystanders have been psychologically affected. The rise in unexpected ICE raids has compromised the psychological safety and well-being of targeted workers as well as legal citizens who are employees. Do you know what to do in an ICE raid if it were to happen in your workplace?
An ICE Raid And Your Psychological Safety
It's imperative that business leaders consider how ICE raids terrorize all employees, taking a toll on their mental health and well-being. Unfortunately, according to McKinsey, only 26% of leaders exhibit workplace behaviors that create a sense of psychological safety. In fact, workplace safety and well-being are on the decline in recent years.
Psychological safety--the absence of fear while working--is a prerequisite for job engagement and performance. Employees are not looking over their backs while they're working. They feel free to express their thoughts, have disagreements, voice opinions and give feedback without fear of reprisal. Psychological safety fosters an environment where team members feel valued, respected and empowered to take risks or initiative without fearing rejection, humiliation or judgment.
During turbulent ICE raids, psychological safety is essential for workers to bring their full selves to work, take risks and be calm without fear of harm. Gallup found that moving the needle on psychological safety can lead to reduction in turnover (27%), in safety incidents (40%) and increases in productivity (12%).
Given the rise in ICE raids, workplace mass shootings and other types of violence across the country, emergency plans are not always in place and if they are, employees are often unaware of them. Experts stress that leaders instate practices on how to respond to an ICE raid by mitigating, preparing, responding and recovering in case one occurs.
If you're a business leader, it's your responsibility to create a safe work culture where all employees can thrive. The question isn't whether you'll face these challenges, but whether you'll be remembered as a leader who had protections in place for your employees.
What To Do In An ICE Raid At Your Workplace
Joycelyn David, a multicultural leadership and marketing expert, says business leaders need cultural fluency now more than ever, as ICE raids impact employee morale, customer trust and brand reputation. David argues that business leaders should be responding to ICE raids at workplaces across the country and that this isn't a policy debate.
It's a conversation about how leaders must address the fear among their employees and customers. 'Companies must be ready to lead with empathy, clarity and cultural awareness,' David explains. 'How you respond isn't just a legal issue; it's a leadership test." She shared seven essential employee supports for business leaders to put into practice in anticipation of an ICE raid.
David suggests that business leaders know which employees may be most affected by enforcement actions. She points out that a U.S. 20-year citizen could still feel vulnerable if their accent is strong. Or a team member with a green card might worry about their teenage daughter here on a student visa. 'When you know that half your night shift speaks Spanish as their first language,' she emphasizes, 'you'll prepare differently than if you're managing a team of mostly H-1B visa holders from India.'
David recommends that you start now to train leadership teams on multicultural intelligence (MQ) before a crisis occurs. She notes that MQ isn't something you Google during an emergency; it's a muscle you build over time. 'When employees feel their cultural background is understood, they are more motivated and productive, but more importantly, they'll trust you when everything's falling apart,' she told me.
David suggests that leaders prepare communication templates and response procedures in multiple languages, not just English into Spanish. According to David, companies with clear, culturally appropriate communication protocols in multiple languages are better able to protect their employees' rights and maintain trust during an encounter. She encourages leaders to test protocols with employees from different cultural backgrounds by asking them: "If you got this message at 2 a.m., would you understand what's happening and what you need to do?"
David recommends that you build relationships with local immigrant advocacy groups and legal resources now instead of waiting until ICE agents are at your door. 'The American Business Immigration Coalition and Kansas Livestock Association lobbied successfully for a brief pause in raids on farms, hotels and restaurants in June 2025, though it was quickly reversed," she recalls. 'Leaders who had established relationships with immigrant advocacy groups and legal aid societies weren't scrambling to find resources when their employees needed help. These aren't just partnerships--they're your early warning system and credible voices when your employees need reassurance.'
'Create an environment where people can tell you they're scared without worrying about losing their jobs,' David advises. 'A New Mexico dairy lost over half its workforce after a June 2025 raid, dropping from 55 to just 20 workers. Real psychological safety means your employees believe you'll have their back, even when things get complicated.' She stresses the importance that leaders ensure all employees understand what's happening, schedule all-hands meetings within 24 hours and go beyond legal briefings to address human concerns.
David encourages leaders to not let rumors fill the information vacuum, adding companies that immediately address the situation with clear communication prevent the spread of dangerous misinformation. 'HR won't have time to craft the perfect statement,' she states, 'so plan ahead with communications materials in multiple languages. Your employees are already imagining worst-case scenarios—don't let their imaginations run wild when you could be providing actual information.'
If your workforce is 40% Spanish-speaking, David advises that you have someone who can deliver updates in Spanish with the same tone and urgency as the English version. She asserts that Spanish-speaking employees deserve to hear confidence and empathy in their own language.
A first-generation immigrant might experience different trauma than a third-generation American, David says. 'For example, a first-generation immigrant experiences genuine terror during an enforcement action, while a third-generation American colleague might feel confusion or frustration,' David points out. "Employees with varied communication styles might become very quiet and withdrawn—not because they're hiding something but because staying out of the way during authority conflicts is considered respectful in their culture. Don't interpret these different responses through your own cultural lens."
A Final Wrap On What To Do In An Ice Raid
David recommends that leaders offer flexible work arrangements immediately for employees who might need time to process, consult with family or speak with legal counsel after an ICE raid. She explains that some employees want to come to work because routine feels safe. Others need time to process what happens.
Regardless of their preferences, David advises against making employees choose between their emotional well-being and their paycheck. And don't forget that it can also be traumatic for legal citizens caught in an ICE raid, underscoring the need for business leaders to make sure all employees know what to do in an ICE raid.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Bright spots emerge in corporate earnings as tariff uncertainty lingers
(Reuters) -Some of the world's top tech firms, including U.S. search giant Alphabet, South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix and Indian IT services provider Infosys, have provided upbeat guidance in their latest earnings reports, shrugging off an uncertain U.S. trade policy. Corporate operations have been overshadowed by erratic U.S. trade action that has upended supply chains and left firms to navigate fluid tariffs on top of broader economic uncertainties such as regulatory change and currency fluctuation. But tech titans Alphabet, SK Hynix and Infosys - which all reported earnings that beat market forecasts - predicted brighter days to come, with Alphabet and SK Hynix both flagging plans to boost spending. Nvidia supplier SK Hynix booked record quarterly profit, boosted by strong demand for artificial intelligence chips and customers stockpiling ahead of potential U.S. tariffs. Indian IT services provider Infosys raised the floor of its annual revenue forecast range to 1% to 3%, from flat to 3%, matching analyst expectations. Among the major earnings on Thursday, Nestle, Reckitt, Roche and Wizz report before local markets open. TURBULENCE The upbeat guidance amounted to a bright spot in a turbulent second-quarter earnings season that has so far seen businesses as varied as chipmakers and steelmakers report downbeat results. Companies have reported over July 16-22 a combined full-year loss of as much as $7.8 billion, with the automotive, aerospace and pharmaceutical sectors being hurt most by tariffs. General Motors said tariffs knocked $1.1 billion from second-quarter earnings. On Wednesday, Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk said U.S. government cuts in support for electric vehicle makers could lead to a "few rough quarters", as his firm reported its worst quarterly sales decline in over a decade. TRADE DEALS News that the U.S. had struck a deal with Japan to lower new tariffs on auto imports and spare it punishing levies on other goods lifted Asian and European stock markets on Wednesday. It stirred hope for a similar deal with the European Union ahead of August 1, when the U.S. said new tariffs will go into effect. The European Union is moving toward a trade deal that could include a 15% U.S. baseline tariff on EU goods and possible exemptions, two European diplomats said. One surprise on Thursday was South Korea's finance ministry saying tariff negotiations had been postponed due to a scheduling conflict for U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The announcement cast fresh doubt about whether South Korea would be able to avert U.S. import duties that could hit some of its major exporting industries. All eyes are on Washington as governments scramble to close trade deals ahead of next week's deadline that the White House has already pushed back under pressure from markets and intense lobbying by industry. While the Japan deal has eased investor worry, the threat of higher tariffs on other large economies remains, including the European Union, Canada and Brazil. An EU-China summit on Thursday will test European resolve and unity as the bloc faces trade pressure from both China as well as the United States, while U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent meets Chinese officials in Sweden next week.


CBS News
19 minutes ago
- CBS News
West LA neighbors fed up with dangerous driving paint their own crosswalks around popular park
Some West Los Angeles residents fed up with dangerous drivers took matters into their own hands, painting their own crosswalks around a popular park, despite city leaders disapproving of their actions. Stoner Park, located on Stoner Avenue in the Sawtelle neighborhood, is known for it's long list of activities that draw people from all over, including swimming, fields for sports, biking, skating and plenty of room for kids to play. The group of concerned residents say that lack of action from the city of Los Angeles led them to draw crosswalks around the park, something they believe will lead drivers to slow down while driving through the area. "Los Angeles is dangerous for pedestrians, and it's not built for pedestrians," said Jonathan Hale, one of the organizers who credits Crosswalks Collective as the inspiration for the project. "It shouldn't be the case that we need to have a pedestrian injured or killed before we decide to take basic safety improvements." They painted yellow-striped crosswalks on each of the four intersections surrounding the park. "Traffic definitely stops now," said Niel Ims, a resident in the area. "I think perhaps before they would just kind of blow through it, but that slowed everybody down of course." Hale said that he's hopeful it spurs the city to take additional action, while he waits to hear if he faces any consequences from the project, since the city says that unauthorized alterations to public streets is illegal — even if done in good faith. "It would take a lot more effort to actually get the approval necessary to get it done, than actually do the work," he said. "So, I figured why not just do it myself." CBS News Los Angeles has not yet heard back from the Department of Transportation upon request for comment on the new crosswalks.


Bloomberg
19 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Insight with Haslinda Amin 7/24/2025
Bloomberg Insight Insight with Haslinda Amin, a daily news program featuring in-depth, high-profile interviews and analysis to give viewers the complete picture on the stories that matter. The show features prominent leaders spanning the worlds of business, finance, politics and culture. (Source: Bloomberg)