The Trump administration is preparing to significantly expand immigration enforcement at workplaces as part of its broader effort to increase arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants, according to officials familiar with internal planning. The strategy is expected to involve multiple federal agencies and build on ongoing criminal investigations into immigration-related fraud and other offenses.
Officials from the United States Department of Homeland Security, the United States Department of Justice and other agencies are reportedly coordinating a plan that would increase worksite enforcement while educating employers about their legal responsibilities when hiring workers. Authorities say enforcement actions would primarily target businesses involved in alleged criminal activity, including identity theft, benefit fraud, document fraud, and immigration violations.
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A White House official emphasized that the administration views the effort as an extension of existing criminal investigations rather than a new policy.
“These investigations are criminal in nature. If investigations require law enforcement action to stop those who are breaking the law, the Trump administration will enforce the law.”
Worksite enforcement operations typically require extensive preparation. Investigators often begin by auditing an employer’s immigration records before determining whether evidence exists to pursue criminal charges. Former Homeland Security officials note that these investigations can take months or even years because of the extensive documentation required.
The planned expansion comes as immigration arrests continue to rise sharply. According to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, immigration authorities are now averaging more than 2,000 arrests per day and over 3,200 deportations daily, reflecting one of the administration’s largest enforcement increases to date.
Immigration restriction advocates have welcomed the proposed worksite crackdown, arguing that employers who knowingly hire unauthorized workers should face greater scrutiny and that workplace enforcement is essential to achieving the administration’s deportation goals. Others, however, warn that increased workplace raids could disrupt industries heavily dependent on immigrant labor, including agriculture, construction, manufacturing, hospitality, and food processing.
The administration has previously sent mixed signals regarding worksite raids. Last year, officials temporarily instructed immigration agents to limit enforcement actions at farms, hotels, and restaurants before later reversing course and resuming broader operations. The scope and timing of the latest initiative have not yet been finalized, and officials say the plans remain under discussion.
