June 20, 2025
In the past week, the Trump administration has caused whiplash for the farmworker and hospitality industry. On June 12th, President Trump announced plans to make changes to protect migrant farm and hospitality workers in the wake of aggressive workplace immigration enforcement by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). Agricultural Secretary Brooke Rollins shared the farm industry's concerns about losing workers with Trump, but Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller opposed the protections for certain industries. On Monday, ICE officials confirmed with agency leaders that they were to continue raids at arms, hotels, and restaurants.
Meanwhile, farmers in Texas are experiencing the impacts of these raids with one farmer, Nick Billman, stating that none of his workers have been showing up for work due to the heightened workplace enforcement. He expressed his concern that the food supply in the U.S. could be affected if raids continue. “It could be to the point where we lose our planting and having the ground ready, and even then, why plan[t] if we cannot even harvest?”
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a decision blocking new DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) applications, though current recipients remain protected. Those enrolled in the DACA program, often called “Dreamers,” include many adults who arrived in the U.S. as young children and who must apply every few years to renew their status. The DACA program was created in 2012 through an executive action during the Obama administration and was designed to protect recipients from removal for a specific period of time, but does not provide a pathway to citizenship. DACA recipients continue to live in limbo. An overwhelming majority of Americans agree that Dreamers should be able to stay in the U.S. permanently and keep contributing to our communities and economy. The Dream Act has been introduced in many versions in Congress over the years, but has yet to be passed. Follow this link to learn more and contact your lawmakers urging them to provide permanent protections for Dreamers.
Today is World Refugee Day. Each year on June 20th, the world honors the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to escape conflict or persecution. This year’s theme, designated by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, is “Solidarity with Refugees.” As United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres says in this video, “Solidarity must go beyond words…becoming a refugee is never a choice, but how we respond is.” Cities and organizations across the U.S. will host events in celebration of the refugees in their communities. You can search “World Refugee Day + [your city]” or contact a local resettlement agency to learn about events in your area.
