The Blubber

The Trump administration has instructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to pause arrests at job sites such as farms, restaurants, and hotels, two sources familiar with the matter told CBS News. The shift comes amid growing concerns that the administration’s hardline stance on illegal immigration is harming critical sectors of the U.S. economy.

According to the sources, who requested anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, the temporary halt in enforcement applies specifically to agriculture, hospitality, and the restaurant industries — sectors that are heavily dependent on immigrant labor, including many undocumented workers.

The move to scale back certain ICE operations underscores mounting pressure from industry leaders, who have warned that sweeping immigration enforcement is disrupting businesses and threatening broader economic stability by scaring away essential workers.

This adjustment marks a notable shift for an administration that has repeatedly pledged to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, regardless of their criminal history. It also comes at a time of heightened ICE activity nationwide, prompting widespread protests — particularly in cities like Los Angeles, where President Trump has deployed the National Guard and U.S. Marines following episodes of unrest.

When asked what prompted the sudden directive to ease enforcement, one source said the president had been unaware of the full extent of ICE’s activities. “Once it hit him, he pulled it back,” the source said.

Earlier in the week, President Trump appeared to foreshadow the change during a White House event, referencing a forthcoming “order” aimed at shielding farms and hotels that rely on undocumented labor.

“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, maybe not,” Trump said. “We can't do that to our farmers. And leisure, too. Hotels. We're gonna have to use a lot of common sense on that.”

When asked for comment, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated, “We will follow the President's direction and continue to work to get the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens off of America's streets.”

The New York Times first reported the policy shift.

Since taking office in January, President Trump had vowed to carry out the largest deportation operation in U.S. history. His administration quickly dismantled Obama-era restrictions on ICE enforcement and began efforts to revoke legal protections from hundreds of thousands of immigrants — dramatically increasing the number of people vulnerable to arrest and deportation.

In recent weeks, ICE has ramped up arrests, adopting more aggressive tactics — including targeting migrants and asylum-seekers during court hearings and scheduled check-ins.