Mounting Tensions: Businesses Caught in Trump’s Immigration Enforcement Storm

Tue Feb 03 2026 20:57:40 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

With mass deportation efforts intensifying under President Trump, businesses are increasingly becoming battlegrounds for immigration enforcement, raising concerns from both corporate leaders and labor advocates.

Across the nation, businesses are feeling the pressure of President Trump's immigration enforcement campaign, particularly in Minnesota where significant raids are underway. Prominent companies are being urged to speak out against the aggressive tactics employed by ICE. Many establishments have temporarily closed in response to protests and increased enforcement actions, raising questions about the rights and responsibilities of businesses in this environment.

From family-run cafes to corporate giants, businesses find themselves increasingly affected by President Donald Trump’s mass deportation initiative, facing pressure to respond to aggressive immigration enforcement—whether through public demands or direct actions on-site.

In Minneapolis, the Department of Homeland Security is reportedly conducting its largest enforcement operation ever, prompting hotels, restaurants, and various businesses to either halt operations or stop accepting reservations amid protests.

Following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol in Minneapolis on Sunday, over 60 CEOs in Minnesota, including leaders from Target and Best Buy, signed an open letter calling for deescalation and cooperation among officials.

However, the letter did not address immigration enforcement specifically or recent arrests occurring at businesses directly. Viral videos circulated earlier this month showing federal agents detaining two employees from Target in Minnesota. Nationwide, ICE has also apprehended day laborers in Home Depot parking lots and delivery workers on busy streets. In a previous operation last year, 475 individuals were detained during a raid at a Hyundai plant in Georgia.

The enforcement tactics employed by ICE raise critical questions about the rights of businesses. By law, ICE agents can access public areas without a warrant, enabling them to question individuals, collect data, and make arrests in areas such as restaurants and retail spaces. Jessie Hahn, senior counsel for the National Immigration Law Center, emphasized the easily misunderstood distinction between judicial and administrative warrants, indicating that ICE's internal memos have blurred these lines, potentially undermining constitutional protections.

Many businesses are taking proactive measures, such as placing signs to clearly mark private areas and educating their employees about legal expectations and responses if ICE agents visit. As protests continue and public scrutiny rises, reactions vary from smaller business owners speaking against the climate of fear to larger corporations remaining reticent. For instance, Target has refrained from addressing the disturbing stoic incidents involving its employees.

In light of ICE's increased presence, worker advocacy organizations, including the United Auto Workers and the Culinary Union, are amplifying their voices against the impacts of these policies and practices, urging businesses to take a stand to protect their communities and workforce.