The federal government is dropping the heavy-handed immigration enforcement policies that led to frequent workplace raids and routine arrests of undocumented workers under the Trump Administration, the U.S. Homeland Security Department announced Thursday.
Going forward, said Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will focus on nabbing undocumented immigrants who are known to pose a public threat. No longer will they sweep up noncitizens and begin their deportation just because the apprehended lack proof of being in the country legally.
For restaurants, the about-face in policy will likely mean fewer on-site raids and fewer instances of foreign-born employees being pulled out of jobs because they lack the authorization to work in the U.S.
“The fact an individual is a removable noncitizen will not alone be the basis of an enforcement action against them,” Homeland Security said in announcing the change.
Instead, said Mayorkas, ICE will “take into account the totality of the facts and circumstances.”
“In exercising this discretion, we are guided by the knowledge that there are individuals in our country who have been here for generations and contributed to our country’s well-being, including those who have been on the frontline in the battle against COVID,” the secretary said in a statement.
The department estimated that 1.1 million “undocumented or otherwise removable noncitizens” currently reside in the United States. Restaurants have traditionally been one of the first places where they look for work.
The change in immigration enforcement policies comes as the industry is straining to find enough workers to re-staff to pre-pandemic levels.
Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.