Trump Admits Immigration Crackdown Hurting US Economy, Promises Policy Shift

President Donald Trump has acknowledged that his sweeping immigration crackdown is causing major disruptions to key American industries, including agriculture and hospitality, and has pledged forthcoming changes to his administration’s enforcement strategy.

In a striking admission posted Thursday on Truth Social, Trump wrote:

“Our great Farmers and people in the Hotel and Leisure business have been stating that our very aggressive policy on immigration is taking very good, long time workers away from them, with those jobs being almost impossible to replace.”

He continued: “This is not good. We must protect our Farmers, but get the CRIMINALS OUT OF THE USA. Changes are coming.”

“You Can’t Just Throw Them Out”

Later, speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump expanded on his remarks, stating that many undocumented workers “have worked for [farmers] for 20 years.”

“They’re not citizens, but they’ve turned out to be great,” he said. “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.”

He noted that employers, stripped of long-time workers, may end up hiring “criminals that have come in, the murderers from prisons and everything else,” adding, “We’re going to have an order on that pretty soon.”

Trump hinted at a policy shift focused on protecting sectors like farming and leisure while continuing to remove undocumented immigrants with criminal records.

Businesses Sound Alarm Over Mass Deportations

The president’s remarks come amid a dramatic escalation in federal immigration enforcement.

This week, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested over 70 workers during a raid on a meat processing plant in Omaha, Nebraska. In California, farm labourers were detained in a blueberry field, prompting national outcry.

Federal officials say the goal is to detain 3,000 undocumented individuals per day as part of what Trump has described as the largest deportation campaign in US history.

But the economic backlash has been swift. Farmers across both red and blue states warn they’re unable to replace the experienced workers being removed, many of whom perform low-paying, physically demanding jobs that domestic workers are reluctant to take.

Retailers and Brands See Decline in Latino Consumer Spending

Beyond the fields and processing plants, Trump’s crackdown is having ripple effects throughout the economy, particularly among Latino consumers — a demographic with an estimated $2.1 trillion in annual spending power.

According to new research by Kantar, Hispanic in-store shopping fell from 62% in late 2024 to 53% in the first quarter of 2025, as fears over ICE raids drive many to stay home. Online purchases among Hispanic consumers rose to 58%.

Retail giants, including Walgreens (-10.5%), Home Depot (-8.7%), and Dollar General (-6.1%), have reported notable declines in Hispanic foot traffic. The beverage sector is also feeling the pinch, with Coca-Cola’s North American sales falling 3% and Modelo sales declining after years of growth.

Executives link the downturn directly to fear-based behavioural shifts, with JD Sports CEO Régis Schultz stating: “You can see definitively the impact” of the crackdown.

Local Economies Feeling the Strain

In small towns like Plum Grove, Texas, business owners report seeing ICE agents near local stores, deterring customers. Dennis Kim, who owns Let’s Go Market in Cleveland, Texas, said sales have plunged nearly 30% since February.

Constellation Brands, the parent company of Modelo, says 75% of surveyed Hispanic customers are eating out less frequently and skipping social gatherings, directly affecting alcohol and leisure sales.

Pressure Mounts for Policy Reform

Industry leaders are urging the Trump administration to introduce temporary worker permits or legal exemptions for undocumented individuals with long-standing employment and clean criminal records.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned the wave of federal enforcement, accusing Trump of “weaponising immigration” and inflaming tensions by deploying National Guard and Marine units to support ICE operations.

As Trump doubles down on his hardline stance, signs of a policy recalibration are emerging. But with businesses suffering and immigrant communities gripped by fear, whether the promised “changes are coming” will materialise remains to be seen.

Stay with M10News.com for continuing coverage of U.S. immigration policy, labour disruption, and Latino consumer impact.

By F. Dayo Olusola | M10News.com | Category: Politics|12 June 2025