Trump Directs ICE to Pause Arrests at Restaurants, Farms, and Hotels

Eater

6 hours ago

Skip to main content Current eater city: Los Angeles
On June 14, amid ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids in Los Angeles, the Trump administration reportedly instructed agents to pause arrests at restaurants, farms, and hotels, according to multiple outlets. The shift in policy follows a post on Truth Social from President Trump on June 12 that addresses complaints from farmers and hotel workers who say the far-reaching raids are taking away employees who are 'almost impossible to replace.' Restaurant, hotel, and farmworkers are statistically more likely to be affected by immigration sweeps. According to the American Immigration Council, immigrants comprise 22 percent of the food service labor force, with this percentage being higher in states such as California, Texas, and New York. The USDA estimates that about 40 percent of farmworkers are undocumented.
Some of the earliest reports of ICE raiding a restaurant in Southern California came from San Diego on May 30, when agents raided Buona Forchetta in South Park. ABC reports that a Homeland Security warrant shows the agency received a tip that alleged the Italian restaurant employed undocumented workers. According to the San Diego Tribune , between 20 and 25 ICE agents conducted the raid; the agents allegedly handcuffed all employees present on site and later detained a handful of workers (some outlets reported three were detained, others reported four). Crowds gathered at the restaurant as the raid was underway to protest ICE; San Diego mayor Todd Gloria later released a statement saying, 'Federal actions like these are billed as a public safety measure, but it had the complete opposite effect. What we saw undermines trust and creates fear in our community.' Buona Forchetta in South Park temporarily closed after the raid but has since reopened.
A week later, on June 6, ICE rolled into Los Angeles with large-scale immigration sweeps that began with agents raiding the parking lot of a Westlake Home Depot just west of Downtown, as well as making arrests in the Fashion District at two locations of Ambiance Apparel. In response to the raids, protesters have gathered daily in Downtown Los Angeles around the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building, with satellite protests in areas where ICE has been spotted, as well as in neighborhoods like Koreatown and Westlake. Protesters have been met with militarized force from the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, the National Guard, and the United States Marines. On June 10, ICE agents were seen raiding farms and packing house distribution centers in Ventura, Kern, and Tulare counties.
As the raids continue, Los Angeles residents remain afraid to go to work, according to KCRW and other local news publications. Rolling Stone reports that green card holders are even concerned about going to the grocery store or running errands. Those fears aren't unfounded. L.A. Taco reports that ICE conducted a raid at Jason's Tacos in East LA and arrested both staff and customers. On June 15, ICE raided the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet and made several arrests. In response to the raids, Angel's Tijuana Tacos, which operates stands across Los Angeles, closed all of its locations outside of its Anaheim restaurant. In the days since the raids began, Los Angeles's streets have been emptied of the familiar fruteros, taqueros, and other vendors, leaving an unsettling quiet in their wake.
Groups like Ktown for All, a volunteer organization dedicated to supporting Koreatown's unhoused community, are stepping in to help keep vendors off the street and out of imminent danger. Over the last few weeks, they have been raising funds to buy out street vendors for the duration of ICE's presence in Los Angeles so they don't have to risk selling in public. According to the Los Angeles Times , the buyout has raised more than $50,000 so far, enabling more than 20 vendors to remain safe at home for the month. The food purchased from the street vendors, which includes bags of homemade tamales, is being distributed to the neighborhood's unhoused population.
Just days after Trump allegedly called for agents to ease off raids at restaurants, farms, and hotels, he posted again to Truth Social on June 15. This time, the President ordered ICE to expand efforts to 'detain and deport' in cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York. In the post, he called these cities 'the core of the Democrat Power Center.' Whether this latest post affects the earlier guidance on excluding hospitality venues remains to be seen. See More: