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Know this Now, March 13, 2026: New National Keep Food on the Table Campaign Advocating for Work Permits for Long-Term, Law-Abiding Immigrants Throughout the Food Pipeline

By March 13, 2026March 17th, 2026No Comments

Created by the Seat the Table coalition, the campaign urges the federal government to take action on work permits to address rising food costs and protect local businesses.

Seat the Table, a nationwide coalition of hospitality and agriculture leaders that includes ABIC Action, Texas Restaurant Association, the James Beard Foundation and many more, launched the campaign this week to empower all Americans who care about their food to advocate for work permits that are needed across the food supply chain. Watch coverage at Fox Dallas, NBC Dallas, ABC Austin and read more at National Restaurant News.

Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO-08), a former U.S. Army soldier and law enforcement officer who represents a swing district and serves as the only Latino member of Colorado’s congressional delegation joined coalition leaders to express the urgent need for bipartisan support. Watch highlights of Evans’ remarks here.


“Many long-term immigrant workers have helped keep our food system running for years, yet they still lack access to legal work permits. That’s why I’m working on commonsense solutions like the Dignity Act, which pairs strong border security with practical workforce policies that bring stability to our economy,” Evans said.

Mary Sue Milliken, chef-owner of Mundo Hospitality Group said at the event “nothing has been more difficult than these past 18 months” in her industry experience, including the pandemic. Watch highlights of Milliken’s remarks.


With rising costs topping the list of voter concerns, Keep Food on the Table emphasizes the connection between critical labor shortages and all Americans’ ability to access locally produced, affordable food. Kelsey Erickson Streufert, chief public affairs officer of the Texas Restaurant Association and  Anne McBride, vice president of impact for the James Beard Foundation emphasized the urgency of the situation:


National data reflects ongoing strain across the food supply chain. According to polling conducted by ABIC, 83% of voters across party lines agree with President Trump’s suggestion that long-term, law-abiding workers in industries such as agriculture and hospitality should be able to get a work permit. Speakers at the event called for urgent action on work permits:

Through the Keep Food on the Table campaign, Seat the Table invites everyone who cares about our food supply to take action by emailing their federal legislators, sharing social media content, and signing our open letter. 

More from the ABIC network

Nashville Reporter’s ICE Detainment Prompts Bigger Conversation

Nashville Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Yuri Cunza spoke to the Nashville Post about the need for changes to the immigration system from a federal level.

“[Cunza] personally has gone to Washington, D.C. several times and was recently named to the American Business Immigration Coalition’s top 15 impact leaders of 2025,” the Nashville Post wrote.

“We’re protecting America’s workforce,” Cunza said. “That’s our message — which involves everyone in America. And there has to be a way that is humane and is in compliance with the law.”

The Economist: Lost Latino Support Could Cost Republicans the Midterms

Texas construction CEO and ABIC member Mario Guerrero told The Economist aggressive immigration enforcement is disrupting the local economy.

Guerrero reflected on the shift from targeting criminals to widespread sweeps, “That’s not what we’re seeing. [They are] just taking everybody”. 

He described the immediate financial impact when ICE agents grab workers in the middle of a job: “What are we going to do if all these builders cannot finish projects, and… they start defaulting on loans?” Guerrero asked. “That’s going to impact everybody”.

News from the Capitol:

The Independent: Axios Report Says White House Privately Asked Republicans To Stop Talking About ‘Mass Deportations’ 

As public opinion on immigration enforcement tactics has declined, the White House is adjusting its messaging strategy, Axios first reported. Deputy Chief of Staff James Blair privately urged House Republicans at their annual retreat to stop using the phrase “mass deportations” and refocus on deporting violent criminals instead.

The shift comes as a recent Fox News poll found nearly 60 percent of voters disapprove of ICE’s performance. The fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by ICE agents in Minneapolis earlier this year sparked nationwide protests and intensified scrutiny of the administration’s approach.

The White House publicly denied any change in policy, insisting criminal deportations have always been the priority.

CBS: Trump Administration Asks Supreme Court to Let it End Deportation Protections for 350,000 Haitians,

The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to let it strip TPS protections from more than 350,000 Haitian immigrants. The court has already allowed similar rollbacks for Venezuelans, and a case involving Syrians is still pending.

Haiti was first granted TPS in 2010 after a catastrophic earthquake killed more than 300,000 people. The administration intended to terminate Haiti’s TPS earlier this year, but a federal court blocked the move in February. The Supreme Court will now decide whether the administration can proceed while that legal fight plays out.

Related news: Rep. Lawler Backs Haiti TPS Protection-Movement Gains Steam as Petition nears 214-Signature Milestone

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY-17) signed a discharge petition in early March to force a House vote on his bipartisan bill that would require the government to maintain Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status. The bill has been sitting without a vote for over a year.

Lawler said conditions in Haiti, marked by gang violence, political instability, and a worsening humanitarian crisis, make deportation dangerous. ABIC Action has been working to raise awareness for the human and economic costs of ending TPS for Haiti and other countries through the Care for Seniors campaign.

The Hill: Sen. Tillis Says Republicans Have Lost the Debate on Immigration

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said on CNN his party has “lost the debate” on immigration. Not because he opposes deportations, he says, but because of how they’re being carried out.

Tillis has been one of the loudest Republican critics of outgoing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, especially after federal immigration officers fatally shot two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year.  President Trump has tapped Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) to replace Noem. 

“I believe that Markwayne recognizes that it’s quality over quantity,” Tillis added. “We want to go after the most dangerous people — the gang members, the drug traffickers, the murders, the rapists, the [people] that Noem promised that we would go after and she simply didn’t deliver.”

Employment News and Numbers:

Bloomberg: Immigration Crackdown Fails to Deliver Jobs for US-Born Workers

A year into stricter immigration enforcement, American workers aren’t filling jobs left behind. Unemployment among native-born workers has actually gone up, and industries like construction and food service are struggling to find staff.

The reality, economists say, is that many of these jobs are physical, often temporary, sometimes cash-only and simply aren’t attractive to most American job seekers, regardless of pay.

The bigger worry is what this means for the economy long-term. With an aging population and record-low birth rates, immigration has been the main way the U.S. grows its workforce, so drops in immigration could lead to slower economic growth as well.

Related coverage from Fortune included comment from one of the authors of the National Foundation for a American Policy (NFAP) policy brief released in February.
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“A company unable to find the workers it needs for some roles could shut down operations rather than continuing,” said Mark Regets, senior fellow at the National Foundation for American Policy. “The data is raising huge red flags that we are losing immigrants of all types that otherwise would be advancing America’s economy,”  

He suggested efforts to stifle immigration for the sake of boosting opportunities for workers in the name of growing the U.S. economy has, instead, backfired completely. The long-term picture is also striking. From 1994 to 2023, immigrants contributed $14.5 trillion more in taxes than they received in government benefits.

Washington Post: U.S. Labor Market Lost 92,000 Jobs in February in Warning Sign For Economy

The U.S. labor market took an unexpected hit last month, shedding 92,000 jobs when economists had predicted a gain of 50,000. Unemployment now sits at 4.4 percent, the highest since Trump took office.

“A variety of factors have been dampening employers’ hiring plans, including uncertainty related to trade policy, artificial intelligence and the availability of immigrant workers.”

The bigger picture is a labor market that’s slowing down across the board.

Enforcement News:

NYTimes: How D.H.S. Retreated on Immigration Tactics After Minneapolis
After months of aggressive, militarized immigration raids, the Trump administration has quietly scaled back its enforcement tactics. In February, ICE made roughly 11 percent fewer arrests per day than the month before, with agents shifting toward more targeted operations rather than street sweeps. In Minneapolis, the federal agent presence dropped from roughly 3,000 to 650.

The pullback follows intense political fallout from the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens by ICE agents in January, nationwide protests, and polls showing a majority of Americans think enforcement has gone too far. Trump himself acknowledged his administration could use a “softer touch.”

Pittsburgh Businesses Face Fallout From ICE Operations: ‘I Never Struggle This Much’

One Pittsburgh restaurant owner hasn’t paid herself a salary in months. Her sales dropped from $30,000 to $20,000 a month, her dishwasher left the country, and her remaining staff are afraid to show up to work, even with valid permits.

Her story isn’t unique. Across the U.S., stricter immigration enforcement is hitting small businesses hard, and the workers meant to benefit aren’t filling the gap. Industries like construction and food service are struggling to find staff regardless of pay.

In Pittsburgh, some immigrant-owned businesses report sales down 40 to 50 percent. “I’ve been in business 19 years,” one owner said. “But I never struggle this much.”

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.
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