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Know This Now, July 24, 2026: Washington Post: ABIC Continues Push on DHS for Employer Relief Amid ICE Arrest Surge

By July 24, 2026August 11th, 2026No Comments

Washington Post: ABIC Continues Push on DHS for Employer Relief Amid ICE Arrest Surge

In a major shift, the DHS under new leadership from Secretary Markwayne Mullin is asking for input from business leaders after months of stonewalling regarding federal immigration enforcement policy. The Washington Post reports DHS officials hosted closed door meetings earlier this month with pro-business groups to directly address how ICE enforcement is destabilizing workforces across the nation.

The outreach on behalf of DHS signals a shift towards a more open dialogue, but business advocates emphasize that any high level talks must translate immediately into common-sense policy, like the extension of work permits for TPS holders and legal status for Dreamers. The administration temporarily extended work permissions for TPS holders from seven countries earlier this month: 

“They listened to business and GOP lawmakers on the extension of work permits instead of terminating them immediately.”

— Rebecca Shi, CEO, American Business Immigration Coalition

Despite the engagement from DHS, enforcement velocity on job sites continues to ramp up. ICE daily arrests averaged over 1,400 in early July, with construction sites and commercial supply hubs bearing the brunt of the force: 

Secretary Mullin has opened dialogue with the business community, but employers say conversations mean little if enforcement continues to disrupt job sites faster than policymakers can find a common-sense solution.

TPS Expiration Cliff 

CBS News: TPS protections for Haitians extended through the weekend by federal appeals court

A federal appeals court issued a last-minute stay for roughly 350,000 Haitian Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders nationwide, extending legal work authorization and deportation protections through Monday, July 27. 

Since 2010, TPS has been continually renewed as political violence and instability mounted in Haiti, where the U.S. State Department maintains a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory due to widespread crime, kidnapping, and civil unrest. 

“This decision will ruin entire ecosystems.”

— Candice Mondesir, Executive Director, Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida

In Florida alone, The Palm Beach Post reports that healthcare providers face severe workforce disruption as 36,350 Haitian TPS holders working in senior care, home health, and hospitals face potential termination. Nursing home operators and care associations warn that replacing these dedicated workers in an already tight labor market is virtually impossible without causing severe care gaps and forcing unsustainable overtime costs.

With more than 20% of Haitian immigrants in the U.S. working in healthcare, and TPS holders representing 15% of noncitizen healthcare workers, maintaining work authorization for law-abiding caregivers is essential to meeting the rising demand for senior care. 

Congressional Watch

House Discharge Petition Launched for American Dream and Promise Act

Rep. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX) officially launched a discharge petition this week to force a floor vote on the bipartisan American Dream and Promise Act (H.R. 1589). Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), a key co-lead of the bill, together with Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of PA, signed the petition alongside to push the effort forward:

If 218 members sign on, the procedural mechanism bypasses leadership control, bringing the legislation directly to the House floor for an immediate vote.

What the Dream & Promise Act Does:

  • Earned Permanent Legal Status for Dreamers: Establishes a pathway to lawful permanent residence and eventual citizenship for eligible undocumented youth who meet education, work, or military requirements.
  • Permanent Protections for TPS & DED Holders: Replaces temporary humanitarian designations with permanent legal status for long-term residents.
  • Background Checks & Immediate Protections: Mandates criminal and national security vetting while protecting applicants from deportation during processing.

Big News Network: As DACA renewals lag, VA loses workers in critical professions 

Processing delays for DACA renewals are forcing employers to terminate staff as applications drag on for months. While DHS attributes the wait times to enhanced vetting, advocates warn that administrative friction is needlessly stripping work authorization from nearly 500,000 active DACA holders nationwide, including almost 8,000 in Virginia, who work in healthcare, education, and law enforcement.

“When you remove people that are productive and so motivated, you’re not just harming these professionals, you’re harming the American economy and also American citizens that depend on their hard work.”

— Rebecca Shi, CEO, American Business Immigration Coalition

With DACA recipients maintaining a labor force participation rate above 90%, business groups warn these delays inflict self-imposed harm on regional labor markets while federal lawsuits seek to expedite processing.

Comite de 100: Midterm Watch

POLITICO: Texas Hispanic Business Owners Turn Against Trump Enforcement Policies

A new survey of Texas Hispanic business owners by the U.S. Hispanic Business Council reveals a sharp political shift following aggressive workplace deportation raids and tariffs. Democrat James Talarico currently holds a seven-point lead among Hispanic business owners over Republican nominee Ken Paxton in the Texas U.S. Senate race. The polling marks a notable reversal from 2024, when Donald Trump won Texas Latino voters by 10 points.

According to the survey, one in five Hispanic business owners in Texas had an employee deported in the past year, while 70% reported that their operations were negatively impacted by tariffs and workforce disruptions.

For many business owners, the impact of workplace enforcement has been immediate and severe. Benny Meléndez, a south Texas construction company owner who voted for Trump in 2024, reported losing more than 10 workers to deportations since early 2025. “I didn’t like what Biden was doing here on the border,” Melendez said: “But now with Trump, it’s all the opposite, 180 degree change. He doesn’t let us work. He’s taking the best we have.” 

Melendez added that continuing to support Republicans has become impossible, asking:

 “How can we continue voting for someone that is targeting our community? There’s no way possible we’re going to support that. No way.”

Benny Meléndez, owner of the residential construction company BM3

Upcoming Event: “Rally In The Valley” — Let Our Builders Build

The South Texas Builders Association and ABIC Action are bringing together business, faith,  community leaders and lawmakers for a bipartisan rally to demand legal work permits for long-term immigrant workers and demand an end to worksite ICE enforcement. The rally centers on a direct message to elected officials: Let Our Builders Build.

RSVP Today.

With 92% of construction firms struggling to fill open positions and project delays driving up housing costs across the state, leaders are calling for an immediate end to disruptive jobsite raids. Lawmakers must provide legal work permits for vetted and skilled immigrant workers to protect Texas’s $687 billion Latino economy, stabilize the housing market, and allow essential industries to keep working.

Enforcement Updates 

LA Times: ICE Detentions Spike as Enforcement Focuses on Immigrants Without Criminal Records

Data released by ICE shows nationwide detentions spiked in June 2026, reaching over 43,000 bookings in a single month. The surge marks the highest monthly booking total since President Trump returned to office, bringing the total detained population to nearly 66,000 as of mid-July.

Immigrants without criminal records represent 79% of the average daily detained population nationwide and 74% across California facilities. Policy analysts note this marks an unprecedented shift, with non-criminal individuals comprising the largest single category of ICE detainees.

UCLA Study: LA Businesses Near ICE Raids Lost Over $3M in Just Two Weeks

A new study released by the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute and Inclusive Action for the City highlights the lingering economic damage caused by immigration enforcement in Los Angeles. Examining data from businesses near nine enforcement sites during initial raids in June 2025, researchers found that shops within a half-mile radius lost $3.16 million in revenue and experienced 46,000 fewer customer visits in just two weeks.

A survey of 75 local Latino business owners revealed widespread disruption: 68% temporarily closed or reduced operating hours, and over 50% reported employees missing work out of fear of ICE detention. Additionally, 59% lost more than half their revenue during the initial push, and 76% stated the raids harmed their overall health and well-being.

More than a year later, local merchants are still struggling to recover. The study notes that 95% of surveyed owners continue to face financial hardship, with over half unable to consistently cover basic operating costs.

News Briefing

Stacker: A smaller labor force means a smaller economy

A decline in U.S. fertility rates alongside sharp immigration restrictions has dragged population growth to historic lows. Without positive net migration, demographic models project the total U.S. population will shrink by the late 2020s.

Because aggregate GDP growth relies on workforce expansion, a stagnant labor pool threatens to slow annual economic growth from its historical 3% average to 2% or lower.

This slowdown risks national security, as aggregate GDP determines a country’s ability to fund defense and maintain global leadership. Fiscally, fewer incoming workers leave fewer taxpayers to support Social Security, Medicare, and the national debt. While pro-natal policies take decades to show results, immigration offers an immediate offset by adding prime-age workers who strengthen the tax base without requiring early-childhood public investment.

U.S. News & World Report: Green Card Applicants Face Mounting Denials as Trump Rules Peel Back Protections

A wave of regulatory shifts by DHS and USCIS has made green cards significantly harder to obtain, driving up rejection rates and causing widespread uncertainty. A May policy change now treats applying for a green card from inside the U.S. as a rare privilege rather than a standard right. It also adds extra scrutiny to marriage-based applications, especially for those switching from student visas, TPS, or DACA.

Additionally, DHS has rescinded Biden-era public charge protections; beginning September 18, adjudicators can deny green cards based on an applicant’s potential use of non-cash benefits like Medicaid and SNAP. Legal experts and advocacy groups warn that stripping objective evaluation standards grants officers wide latitude for arbitrary denials, creating a chilling effect that deters families from accessing basic care and services.

Perspectives:

NYT Op-Ed: Andrea R. Flores on How Democrats Can Win Back Latino Voters

In a New York Times op-ed, Andrea R. Flores, an attorney and immigration policy expert, argues that aggressive ICE tactics under President Trump, highlighted by the recent fatal shootings of undocumented immigrants Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Joan Sebastian Guerrero, have left Latino communities across America in crisis.

Despite a significant shift toward Trump in 2024, many Latinos who supported enforcement measures believed the administration would target violent criminals rather than long-term residents, business owners, and families.

Flores notes that Democrats have historically misread Latino voters by treating them as a single-issue constituency or offering broken immigration promises during campaign cycles. To build lasting political momentum, she argues Democrats must abandon the false choice between border security and legal pathways. Instead, the party should adopt a balanced approach that combines strong border management with legal work authorization and citizenship pathways for long-term undocumented residents.

Get Involved

  1. 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.
  2. 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. 
  3. Work with us: ABIC is hiring! We are looking for a California State Director and Digital Manager to join our growing team. Learn more.

Always available: ABIC Employer Resources Folder

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