Top News: New ABIC Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for President Trump’s Work Permit Proposal
A new poll released by ABIC and conducted by the Tarrance Group shows a large majority of voters in key battleground states support President Trump’s recent comments on allowing long-term, trusted undocumented immigrants working in agriculture, hospitality, and food service to receive work permits and remain in the U.S. Explore the full poll results.
[INSERT 4 GRAPHICS WITH THE DATA HIGHLIGHTS]“These results demonstrate an unprecedented consensus among voters of all political backgrounds—and especially Republicans—that trusted, long-term undocumented workers who contribute to our farms, hotels, and restaurants deserve stability and the opportunity to keep supporting our communities and economy,”
-Rebecca Shi, CEO of ABIC
President Trump’s proposal has united battleground Republicans, Independents, Democrats, and Hispanic voters around a pragmatic solution that benefits our economy.” Rebecca Shi, CEO of ABIC
BJ Martino, CEO and President at the Tarrance Group, added, “Voters across the political spectrum agree with President Trump that these workers are essential.”
More from the ABIC Network:
ABIC Member Prairieland Dairy Hosts Nebraska Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE 1), Mainstreet Republican Caucus Chairman
Prairieland Dairy in Firth, Nebraska, gave Congressman Mike Flood (R-NE1 ) a tour of their operation this week and shared some of the labor challenges they, and the dairy industry as a whole, are facing.
Darren Mueller, operator of Prairieland Dairy, was one of the more than 200 business leaders to sign an ABIC letter to President Trump and Congress earlier this month, encouraging them to prioritize commonsense immigration solutions to Secure America’s Workforce including the bipartisan Dignity Act and Farm Workforce Modernization Act.
Prairieland Dairy operates a 24/7 dairy farm with a herd of approximately 1,200 cows. The farm produces over 16,000 gallons of milk daily.
U.S.Congressman Gabe Evans (R-CO-08) Hosts Dignity Act Roundtable with ABIC Employer Attendees
Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO-08) hosted a roundtable on the Dignity Act in his district this week. Seven employers from the ABIC and Comité de 100 network participated, asking thoughtful questions about the legislation and expressing their gratitude for Rep. Evans’ leadership and support.
| The Dignity Act: Work Authorization, Not Amnesty |
| The Dignity Act, a bipartisan immigration reform bill introduced by Rep. Maria Salazar (R-FL) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) with support from 10 Republicans and 10 Democrats, offers a path to legal status and work permits while strengthening border security. Some of the key provisions of the bill include: |
| Border Security: Invests in border infrastructure and managementWork Authorization: A 7-year earned legal status program allowing undocumented immigrants to live and work legally, renewable based on statusDreamer Protections: Grants legal status and a path to citizenshipMandatory E-Verify: Mandates employment verifiability of new hires and protects American jobsAsylum Reform: Reforms screenings and establishes regional processing centers |
37 Construction Contractor Chapters Joined ABIC’s Call for Immigration Reform with Work Permits
As ICE raids continue to disrupt worksites, including a July 23 raid at the construction site of a school in Alabama, construction contractors are uniting with ABIC to call for change.
ABIC, business leaders and construction organizations, including 37 chapters of the Associated General Contractors, urged the administration in an open letter earlier this month to implement a work permit program for foreign labor in line with suggestions President Trump has made repeatedly this summer.
“You have secured our border – now you can succeed where previous administrations have failed to do – securing America’s workforce by instituting your work permit program,” reads the letter.
Arizona Caregiver’s Story Spotlights the Elder Care Industry’s Reliance on Immigrants
ABIC’s support for a legal and expanded work permit program for people who work in agriculture, hospitality, elder care and other industries with labor shortages was featured in an ABC report from Arizona. The report highlighted the story of a woman, known as Esther, who works as a caregiver for elderly people and is working in fear:
“I really consider the United States my home and my safe place. I love this country.” – Elder Care Worker “Esther”
“ABIC says the U.S. faces a growing senior care crisis with one in four long-term care workers being an immigrant. Projections are that 3.5 million more healthcare workers are needed overall by 2030,” the report stated.
Take Action with ABIC
Join 200+ other business leaders and employers and sign onto the letter to President Trump calling for commonsense immigration solutions to Secure America’s Workforce:
Sign the Letter
Secure America’s Workforce: D.C. Summit | Oct. 21–23, 2025
Registration is open for ABIC’s biggest fly-in yet — and we want you with us in Washington, D.C.
This October, join business leaders, advocates, and coalition partners from across the country to:
- Speak directly with lawmakers about real workforce challenges
- Champion commonsense, bipartisan immigration solutions
- Stand united with leaders from agriculture, construction, hospitality, healthcare, and more
Already registered? Help us build momentum, forward this invite to your network.
Register now or share the link: RSVP Here
News Briefing
NYTimes: Sen. John Kennedy, a Trump Ally, Pressed for a Mexican Citizen’s Release From ICE Custody
Paola Clouatre, a 25-year-old Mexican national, was released from ICE detention in Louisiana this week after nearly two months in custody. Her release came after an unexpected intervention from Senator John Kennedy, a Republican ally of President Trump known for supporting strict immigration enforcement.
Clouatre was detained during a routine green card appointment in May, unaware that a 2018 deportation order had been issued after her mother missed a court hearing years earlier. Clouatre, who entered the U.S. as a teenager seeking asylum, is now married to a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
July Jobs Report: U.S. Hiring Slowed Sharply Over the Summer
Economists are closely watching the shrinking labor supply as fewer immigrants enter the workforce, immigration raids deter workers, and an aging U.S. population leads to more retirements. Job growth needs have dropped from 166,000 jobs per month to just 86,000, due to the end of an immigration surge, says economist Jed Kolko.
USA Today reported economists link this to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has reduced the foreign-born workforce by over 1 million in four months. From 2019 to 2024, immigrants made up 88% of the nation’s labor force growth, according to a report by the National Foundation for American Policy
Industries like agriculture, construction, and food service are facing severe labor shortages and many unskilled jobs remain unfilled.
“It will be difficult or impossible for some companies in (affected) industries to replace lost workers…This puts upward pressure on inflation as wages go higher and companies raise prices to afford the higher wage bills,” -Moody’s Economist Marisa DiNatale
NYTimes: ICE Took Half Their Work Force. What Do They Do Now?
Production is down 70% at Glenn Valley Foods, a meat processing plant in Omaha, after 76 workers were arrested in an ICE raid last month and more are now too frightened to come to work. The company used E-Verify and took the steps they’d been taught to hire legally, but still got “caught up in a broken system,” says Gary Rohwer, owner of the company.
“We’re building back up from ground zero…I’m still furious about what happened to our people, but we have to keep the machines running,” Rohwer said.
Elizabeth Rodriguez, is a 46-year-old mother and one of the detained workers. She has lived in Omaha for 25 years building a life for her family that is now unraveling, including her youngest son now suffering panic attacks. Despite Elizabeth’s clean record and a promising immigration case, she remains detained.
“It’s terrible for everyone…I’ve seen whole companies go under after a raid. The supply chain stalls. Beef prices go up. Consumers pay more,” said Alfredo Moreno, the new HR Director trying to help get the company back and running.
Major Factories Experiencing Disruptions Following Immigration Policy Changes
As more than a million immigrants face losing legal status and deportation with the shutdown of programs like TPS and CHNV, the changes have caused abrupt job losses at major facilities, including GE Appliances in Kentucky and Kraft Heinz in Michigan.
At GE, over 125 workers were forced out, leading to missed production targets and chaotic shifts. At Kraft Heinz, remaining staff are working overtime, and union leaders warn that further mass terminations could devastate operations and worker wellbeing.
“We had people there for 20 years, and all of a sudden they get notification their immigration authorization is revoked,” said Tomas Torres, a maintenance mechanic of 13 years at Kraft Heinz, and president of RWDSU Local 705.
He and others have been working 12 to 14 hour days.
“The lack of people on the lines. There are employees running two machines; it should be one person per machine…You catch people falling asleep on the line, and it’s a big safety issue,” Tomas Torres, Maintenance Mechanic and president of RWDSU Local 705.
The Nestlé pizza factory in suburban Chicago has also seen major disruption, The Chicago Tribune reported, with over 600 laid off in April 2025 due to a federal order requiring the termination of workers without documentation, leaving employees scrambling and the factory with a much-reduced workforce.
Reuters: Immigration Raids Trigger Labor Shortages and Delays Across U.S. Construction Sites
In Mobile, Alabama, a $20 million recreation center project is now three weeks behind schedule after half the workforce stopped showing up, spooked by a raid 230 miles away in Florida. Industry leaders say fear of raids is leading entire crews to abandon job sites. With about 1.4 million undocumented workers in construction—more than any other industry—the sector is especially vulnerable.
“I am a Trump supporter, but I just don’t think the raids is the answer,” -Robby Robertson, a construction site superintendent in Alabama
NYTimes: Trump Administration Plans Changes to Skilled Worker Visas
The Trump administration plans to overhaul the H-1B visa system to prioritize higher-paying employers, saying the aim is to combat any use of the program to bring in workers willing to accept lower salaries than American workers, while also supporting tech companies that rely on skilled foreign workers.
Joseph Edlow, the new director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said the program should “supplement, not supplant, U.S. economy and U.S. businesses and U.S. workers.”
Forbes: Trump AI Plan Omits Role Of Immigration And Foreign-Born Talent
The Trump administration released an AI Action Plan last week that notably omits any mention of immigration, despite the critical role that international talent plays in advancing the artificial intelligence industry in the U.S.
The systemic barriers in immigration could “threaten American AI leadership” and likely cause a dramatic decline in the quantity of talent in the U.S., said a recent Brookings Institute report on AI.
Fights in the Courts
Federal Judge Delays Expiration of TPS For Hondurans, Nicaraguans, and Nepalese
A federal judge in San Francisco has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal, affecting about 60,000 people who have lived in the U.S. for over 20 years.
Judge Trina Thompson’s decision postpones the terminations until a hearing in November, instead of beginning August 5.
Politico: Judges Press Trump Administration On Deportation Quotas
A federal appeals court is asking for confirmation of whether the Trump administration set a quota of 3,000 deportations or arrests per day. Judges raised concerns that pressure to meet targets may be leading to broad, indiscriminate immigration sweeps, especially in Los Angeles. A lower court previously blocked these raids, citing reliance on race, language, and job type instead of individual suspicion.
Get Involved
- Secure your spot today for ABIC’s Secure America’s Workforce — October Fly-In and Policy Summit in Washington, DC. Register here.
- Join one of ABIC’s Councils of 100 and let your voice be heard with your peers – sign up here. The Council of 100 is a coalition of top business leaders working to advance common-sense workforce solutions.
- Share your story: If your business is interested in engaging with the press as part of ABIC or amplifying your story on social media, take this quick survey to let us know your preferences.
- We’re hiring! ABIC is looking for a new Field Director to help lead our national campaigns. Learn more and apply here.
Key Employer Resources:
- DACA Legal Update
- A new court ruling has major implications for DACA recipients and their employers. Learn how to support your workforce, ensure compliance, and stay ahead of changes: Read the full update here.
Always available: ABIC Employer Resources Folder
- A new court ruling has major implications for DACA recipients and their employers. Learn how to support your workforce, ensure compliance, and stay ahead of changes: Read the full update here.
ABIC in the news. . .
- Washington Times: Voters Embrace Leniency For Migrants In Farms, Hotels, Construction (8/1/25)
- ABC15: Arizona caregiver fighting to stay in the United States(7/30/25)
- Equipment World: As ICE Raids Rise, Contractors Call for Immigration Reform with Work Permit (7/28/25)
- Axios: ICE Raids Disrupt Utah Restaurants, Fuel Fear (7/18/25)
- WSOC TV: NC Builders Concerned Over Immigration Crackdowns, Worker Shortages (7/18/25)
- Barron’s: Inside The Immigration Raid That Shook Horse Racing—And What It Means For U.S. Businesses (7/17/25)
- Washington Post: Horse racing depends on immigrants who are suddenly working in fear (7/13/25)
- WRAL: Federal immigration crackdown could slow Triangle construction, builders warn (7/17/25)
- El Restaurante: TRA Prez Hopes Immigration Issues “Get to the Table” (7/9/25)
- El Restaurante: Survey-Restaurants Fear ICE and Take Action (7/9/25)
- Politico, ‘Essential isn’t a strong enough word’: Loss of foreign workers begins to bite US economy, (7/8/25)
- NPR, Why American farmers rely on unauthorized workers, (7/8/25)
- Newsweek, Migrant Farm Workers Says It Will Be ‘Chaos’ Without Them, (6/29/25)
- Newsweek, ICE Raids on US Farms Leaves Crops Rotting, (6/30/25)
- Tampa Bay Times: Immigrant raids at farms, work sites? Not the answer, businesses say (06/27/25)
- Newsweek: Families Face $2,150 Bill From Trump’s Immigration Policies—Study (06/27/25)