As the Trump administration intensifies immigration enforcement, hotels are scrambling for legal compliance. This could worsen an already severe labor shortage within a sector which employs more than 2.1 million Americans.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement increased workplace raids, targeting industries heavily reliant on immigrants. ICE has not reported raids on hotels in the past year. Industry representatives and media have also not reported any major incidents.
Officials from the Immigration Department have confirmed that they will continue making arrests on worksites. Tricia McClaughlin, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, said: “There will not be safe spaces for industries which harbor violent criminals or deliberately try to undermine ICE’s efforts.”
A directive from ICE last week halted enforcement following a post by President Trump on Truth Social, which seemed to acknowledge that the disruption could be to businesses.
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The industry is sensitive about immigration, and major hotel groups have declined to comment on it.
Trade groups are mobilizing to assist their members in navigating compliance requirements. This month’s top topic was monitoring employees’ work authorizations.
Exhibit B: Around 532, 000 workers from C
