Fearing ICE raids, U.S hotels ramp up background checks

ICE raids
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Hotel owners are feeling the pressure of government enforcement, forcing hotels to ramp up background checks of immigrant employees and contract workers alike. On one hand, critics of the move say that frequent policy changes have made it very difficult for hotel owners to plan hiring and adds costs and time to run background checks. Also, it leaves a section of employees in the lurch, particularly those whose status has changed due to policy updates all of a sudden. Proponents of the move say that hotel owners must follow the law and cannot give the excuse of a shift in policy to hide operational laziness or inefficiencies.

ICE Raids Spook US Hotel Owners

As per TravelPulse & Reuters, hotel owners across the US are feeling the pressure of additional enforcement after the new administration has come into power after the onset of the year. Fearing raids, US hotel owners are now stepping up background checks.

According to the latest data from Hireology, a human resources and recruitment management company that tracks hiring and employment trends across hundreds of U.S. hotels, hotel hiring managers requested 36 percent more background checks from January to June 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.

For an industry that is heavily reliant on migrant labor, these raids are putting added pressure on the hospitably industry to make sure that they comply.

The U.S. Travel Association says that at least one-third of workers employed or supported by the U.S. travel industry are immigrants. Citing 2023 data from the U.S. Census Bureau and Tourism Economics, Reuters notes that roughly one-third (34 percent) of housekeepers and one-quarter (24 percent) of cooks are foreign-born.

The Pundit’s Mantra

US Hotel hiring managers have already run more background checks in the first half of 2025 than they did in the entire year of 2025. As fears of ICE raids spook hotel owners, they find themselves in a catch 22 situation. On one hand, they have to ensure compliance with the laws. On the other hand, they have to deal with the added costs, time and resources taken to run these background checks.

As per US travel association’s own data, at least 1 out of 3 workers employed by the US travel industry directly or indirectly is an immigration, which accounts for 33% of the workforce.

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