DHS more open to businesses that rely on immigrant workers
“The Department of Homeland Security under Secretary Markwayne Mullin is cultivating a relationship with business groups whose concerns about losing workers to aggressive immigration enforcement had been rebuffed by former secretary Kristi L. Noem,” says The Washington Post.
Agency officials met earlier this month with the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, which represents the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and major trade associations that depend on immigrant labor, the Post says.
Industries including agriculture, manufacturing, construction, health care and elder care say they’re suffering from shortages in jobs that are critical to the economy.
“It’s important to note that Mullin comes from the business community,” says Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum, which represents Fortune 500 companies on Capitol Hill. “Under his leadership the agency does seem much more open to working with businesses and industry to focus on how their enforcement priorities and worksite compliance efforts can be better aligned [and] not negatively impact American businesses and the economy.”
In recent weeks, DHS has sought to appease business groups even as it’s dramatically ramped up arrests, the Post says.
The agency agreed to partially walk back a plan to force green-card applicants to return to their countries of origin, which tech leaders said would severely impact their workforce. And it has agreed to open a guest-worker visa program to the dairy industry. Both actions came after intense lobbying by industry groups, the Post says.
This month, the Trump administration also extended the timeline to July 24 for canceling work permits for immigrants from Haiti who are losing long-standing humanitarian protections after a Supreme Court ruling.
President Trump “hasn’t been immune to business backlash since immigration arrests exploded in 2025,” says the Post.
A year ago, after operations targeting worksites, the Trump administration announced that farms, restaurants and hotels would be spared further raids, and that policy appears to still be in place, the Post says.
But in construction, raids on sites in South Texas have surged since Mullin replaced Noem, builders say.
On Friday, Mullin met with reporters about Trump’s campaign to force states to purge alleged noncitizens from their voting rolls before this fall’s midterm elections. He continued to walk a fine line between reassuring a skeptical public and satisfying Trump’s desire for maximum impact, the Post says.
While “I turn down the temperature with you guys,” Mullin told the reporters, “we’re turning up the heat on the streets.”
Also in the news
The challenges Andy Burnham will face as Britain’s new prime minister
China’s AI model takes U.S. tech industry by surprise with abilities rivaling Anthropic’s Claude and OpenAI’s ChatGPT
U.S. bombing of Iran expands as American troops killed and Iran retaliates against Gulf states
U.S. oil firms sign deals with Iraq to develop alternate shipping routes
NYTimes: Not clear Trump’s election speech on Thursday resonated beyond far right of GOP
AP: Trump says these documents prove his false claims of election fraud; here’s what they really say
NYTimes: Documents Trump released to support his election claims don’t back up his most aggressive statements
WSJ: Documents outline U.S. election system vulnerabilities but don't suggest they were exploited to alter 2020 election results
WPost: After nearly 6 years of promises to reveal proof of election tampering in 2020, Trump stops short again
Politico: Inside the White House debate over Trump’s election speech, and Bill Pulte's ‘retreat’
Factcheck.org on Trump’s election speech
The only Democratic FCC commissioner says Trump call to revoke licenses of ABC, NBC is unconstitutional
Justice Department activating untested court for ‘alien terrorist’ deportations
Federal judge rules Trump administration can’t use obscure clause on agency priorities to make huge funding cuts
Trump administration plans to auction off sections of water around American Samoa in push for deep-sea mining
Paying for early access to Trump’s Truth Social could raise big money, major ethical issues
Federal appeals court rules New Jersey assault weapons ban is unconstitutional
The ‘dire’ conditions at the immigrant detention center at Fort Bliss in Texas
AI chatbots are at risk of spreading government restrictions on online speech, a new study finds
As defaults on student loans surge, millions of people are trying to get their lives back on track
KFF: Insurers hedge on implementing Trump-backed pledge to reduce barriers to doctor-recommended care
FDA now says Taylor Farms cyclospora finding was a false positive
FDA approves pill that can lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, replacing a shot
You can call the Capitol switchboard, (202) 224-3121, and be connected to the offices of your representative and senators. To email your House member and your two senators, you can connect to their websites at Congress.gov. Most lawmakers seem to only accept emails from their constituents, but these leaders accept emails from Americans nationwide, at:
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer
Senate Majority Leader John Thune