New information has come to light regarding the dramatic reversal by President Donald Trump on his immigration policy targeting undocumented workers in key sectors of the U.S. economy.
According to The Independent, this policy shift was prompted by intense internal tensions within his administration, notably involving influential figures such as Stephen Miller and Kristi Noem, who clashed with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.
On June 12, during a speech at the White House, the American president announced a pause in deportations targeting agricultural and hospitality workers. He stated:
“We can’t go after the farmers and send back all their workers just because they maybe don’t have what they’re supposed to have—or maybe they do,” The Independent reported, citing Axios.
This decision was reportedly made following a direct phone call between Donald Trump and Brooke Rollins.
According to Axios, Rollins bypassed Stephen Miller, the deputy chief of staff, and Kristi Noem, the Secretary of Homeland Security. Their reaction was swift: both immediately moved to persuade the president to reverse course.
According to CBS News, the pressure exerted by Miller and Noem was effective. The White House quickly walked back the pause and resumed deportation operations in the agricultural and hospitality sectors.
Furthermore, Trump hardened his stance last Sunday, announcing that his administration would now prioritize large urban areas, particularly so-called “sanctuary cities.”
In a message posted on the Truth Social platform, the president ordered:
“ICE agents are hereby instructed, through this Truth NOTICE, to do everything possible to achieve the fundamental goal of carrying out the largest mass deportation operation in history.”
Asked by The Independent, Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin confirmed: “Our position hasn’t changed.” Another senior official told Axios that Trump had no need for advice from the hospitality industry, noting: “The president owns his own resort,” referring to his experience in the luxury hotel business.
Despite this stated intent to toughen immigration policy, Trump is still far from breaking the record set by Barack Obama, who remains the president with the highest number of deportations: 438,421 people in 2013 alone.
To surpass that number, the Trump administration would need to double its current deportation pace. As of the end of April, only around 139,000 migrants had been removed from the country.
It is worth noting, however, that under the Obama administration, the number of immigrants seeking refuge in the United States was significantly higher than under Trump, where, according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials, crossings at the southern border are nearly nonexistent.
This latest episode highlights how President Trump’s immigration policy is caught between economic considerations, internal power struggles, and political ambitions.
