President Trump signaled that “changes are coming,” for undocumented immigrants in Hospitality and on Farms
President Trump has acknowledged that recent immigration crackdowns—including ICE raids targeting undocumented farm and hospitality workers—are disrupting U.S. agriculture and harming food supply chains. He stated that many long-standing immigrant laborers have been removed, causing labor shortages on farms and in meatpacking
As a result, Trump’s team is reportedly preparing an executive order aimed at protecting vital sectors like farming and hospitality by allowing some flexibility for long-term immigrant workers—while still maintaining enforcement against criminal undocumented individuals .
On Jun 12, 2025, 9:43 AM. Trump wrote on his Truth Social Platform, “Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace. In many cases the Criminals allowed into our Country by the VERY Stupid Biden Open Borders Policy are applying for those jobs. This is not good. We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming!”
A significant portion of the agricultural workforce in the US is made up of immigrant workers, including undocumented immigrants. Restrictive immigration policies, deportations, and the fear of being caught can lead to labor shortages in the fields, making it difficult to harvest crops and subsequently food shortages.
2. Promise of a New Executive Order
- He’s signaled that “changes are coming,” pledging an upcoming executive order aimed at agricultural and hospitality labor shortages
- However, details such as timing and legal framework remain unspecified at this point.
Key impacts and concerns:
Nearly half of the ~2 million U.S. farmworkers lack legal status; their sudden removal is leaving crops unharvested and fields idle .
- This echoes a 2016 Bloomberg finding: bureaucratic delays and anti-immigrant sentiment once led to crops rotting—in one case, a farmer lost a quarter of his Napa cabbages when visa workers were delayed.
- Economic ripple effects
- Labor shortages are threatening food supply chains. With reduced Hispanic consumer confidence, retailers are reporting lower sales in Hispanic-majority areas, affecting sectors like grocery and hospitality nypost.com.
Political and social fallout
The raids have triggered protests in multiple states and drawn criticism from governors and senators—including confrontations like the forcible removal of Senator Padilla in Los Angeles—on civil rights grounds.
- Some Republicans are pushing for aggressive enforcement, arguing industries should hire American citizens or increase wages instead.
What’s next?
- Trump says “changes are coming” and an executive order is expected soon to balance enforcement with economic needs
- Industry groups (farm bureaus, hotel associations) are pressing for streamlined temporary visa programs.
- Congressional immigration reform remains unlikely in the short term, making executive action the most feasible path forward.
Bottom Line:
The Trump administration’s crackdown on undocumented workers has led to immediate labor shortages in agriculture, leaving crops unharvested and threatening food supply chains. Facing mounting pressure from farmers and businesses, Trump is preparing an executive order to protect non-criminal immigrant workers in key sectors—though the details and timeline remain unclear.