President Trump acknowledged Thursday that his administration's aggressive immigration enforcement is causing significant labor shortages in key American industries. The admission comes as farmers and hospitality businesses report losing long-term workers to deportation efforts.
According to the New York Post, Trump posted on Truth Social that the current immigration policies are removing valuable workers from farms and hotels, creating positions that are "almost impossible to replace."
In his social media statement, Trump specifically highlighted concerns about losing reliable workers while emphasizing his continued commitment to removing criminals. "This is not good. We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming," the president wrote.
The president's comments follow a significant escalation in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations across the country. Federal officials have stated their goal is to detain approximately 3,000 people daily as part of what Trump has called the largest deportation effort in American history.
More than 70 individuals were arrested this week during an ICE raid at a meat processing plant in Omaha, Nebraska. Similar enforcement actions have occurred at agricultural sites in California, where agents were seen detaining workers in blueberry fields.
The crackdown extends beyond agricultural settings to construction sites, restaurants, and even day laborer gathering spots outside home improvement stores. This widespread enforcement has created uncertainty for both employers and immigrant communities.
The intensified immigration enforcement is creating ripple effects throughout the American economy. Agriculture officials estimate that nearly half of the country's 850,000 crop workers are undocumented, putting the nation's food supply chain at risk.
Farmers in both Republican and Democratic states report difficulties finding replacement workers, particularly for seasonal labor positions that few native-born Americans are willing to fill. The labor shortage comes at a critical time for many agricultural operations.
The retail sector is also feeling the impact, with major brands reporting significant drops in Hispanic customer traffic. Market research firm Kantar found that in-person shopping by Hispanic consumers fell from 62% to 53% in the first quarter of 2025, while online purchases increased.
Speaking to reporters at the White House Thursday, Trump elaborated on the need for a more nuanced approach. He described scenarios where farm owners have employed the same workers for decades despite their undocumented status.
"We can't take farmers and take all their people and send them back because they don't have maybe what they're supposed to have," Trump explained. "They've been there for 20, 25 years and they've worked great. And the owner of the farm loves them and everything else."
The president suggested that removing these established workers could lead to worse outcomes if farmers are forced to hire recent arrivals with criminal backgrounds. "And then you're supposed to throw them out and you know what happens? They end up hiring the people, the criminals that have come in," Trump said.
Trump's recognition of economic consequences signals a potential shift in his administration's approach to immigration enforcement. His comments suggest that workplace raids might be modified to focus more specifically on individuals with criminal records.
Industry leaders have called for temporary worker permits or exemptions for long-term employees without criminal histories. Such adjustments could address labor shortages while maintaining the administration's border security objectives.
The president indicated that official policy changes would be announced soon, telling reporters: "We're going to have an order on that pretty soon." Any policy adjustment would need to balance Trump's campaign promises on immigration enforcement with the economic realities facing American businesses.
