The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) carried out a large-scale operation Monday in southwestern Louisiana, during which 84 individuals suspected of being in the country illegally were arrested at the Delta Downs Racetrack, Hotel and Casino in Calcasieu Parish. Federal authorities made the information public on Tuesday.
The raid was conducted in coordination with other agencies, including the FBI and U.S. Border Patrol, according to ICE, as reported by ABC News.
The operation primarily targeted businesses operating in the racetrack’s stables, which were accused of employing unauthorized labor. “Authorities received information indicating that businesses at the site were employing unauthorized workers,” the agency stated.
According to ICE, at least two of the 84 individuals arrested had criminal records, ABC News reported.
Steven Stavinoha, regional director of border customs operations for the New Orleans area, defended the action in a statement sent to ABC News: “These operations are designed to disrupt illegal employment networks that undermine the integrity of our labor system, jeopardize American jobs, and create avenues of exploitation in key sectors of our economy.”
The raid came despite a recent directive from the Trump administration to pause arrests in certain economically sensitive sectors, such as agriculture, hospitality, and food service, to limit negative economic impacts. That directive was quickly rescinded.
Contacted for comment, the site’s owner, Boyd Gaming Corporation, said it was not implicated in the allegations. “Our company fully complies with federal labor laws, and to our knowledge, no Delta Downs team member is involved in this matter,” said company spokesperson David Strow in an email. “We will cooperate with law enforcement if requested.”
This raid is part of a series of high-profile ICE operations in Louisiana in recent weeks. On May 27, federal agents arrested 15 Central American workers at a publicly funded flood mitigation construction site in New Orleans. On June 11, ten Chinese nationals were detained in a separate raid targeting massage parlors in Baton Rouge.
Since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, ICE has faced mounting pressure. According to ABC News, Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff and chief architect of the administration’s immigration policy, has set a goal of 3,000 arrests per day—up from an average of around 650 during the early months of the administration.
These actions have drawn strong criticism from immigrant advocacy groups. Rachel Taber, an activist with Louisiana-based organization Unión Migrante, condemned the societal impact of such operations. “Our economy depends on immigrants. And when we allow ourselves to be divided by racial hatred, it harms everyone’s economy,” she told ABC News.
