NEW ORLEANS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) revealed Tuesday that over 80 individuals suspected of being in the United States unlawfully were detained during a raid at a racetrack in southwest Louisiana. The operation took place at the Delta Downs Racetrack, Hotel and Casino in Calcasieu Parish on Monday and involved collaboration with other law enforcement agencies including the FBI and the U.S. Border Patrol.
This large-scale enforcement action, which has drawn criticism from some racehorse industry advocates, is part of the Trump administration’s broader efforts to increase immigration arrests. A notable push has come from Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, who has orchestrated a drive for ICE to conduct at least 3,000 arrests daily, a significant increase from the approximately 650 daily arrests observed in the initial months of President Trump’s second term.
ICE officials stated that they had obtained “intelligence” suggesting that businesses located at the racetrack’s stables were employing “unauthorized workers.” Consequently, these establishments became the focus of the raid.
ICE reported that among those apprehended, “at least two” individuals were found to have prior criminal records. According to Steven Stavinoha, director of field operations for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New Orleans, the objective of these enforcement measures is to dismantle illegal employment networks that compromise labor integrity, threaten American jobs, and facilitate exploitation in key economic sectors.
Nonetheless, these actions have sparked discontent in certain quarters of the horse racing industry. Peter Ecabert, general counsel for the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, which serves 29,000 thoroughbred racehorse owners and trainers, including at Delta Downs, expressed significant concerns.
“To suddenly take such a large number of workers away and leave the operations short-staffed is simply unacceptable,” Ecabert remarked. He emphasized that they are open to working collaboratively with ICE to ensure procedures are conducted in an organized manner, but the manner of the recent raid has left the industry in a challenging situation.
According to Ecabert, groomers and stable workers provide critical, around-the-clock care for horses, and the demanding nature of this work makes it challenging to find willing individuals to take on these roles.
David Strow, a spokesperson for Boyd Gaming Corporation, which owns Delta Downs, asserted the company’s commitment to full compliance with federal labor laws, stating, “No Delta Downs team members were involved.” He also assured that the company would cooperate with law enforcement as needed.
This raid is part of a series of recent enforcement actions by ICE in Louisiana. The agency carried out a crackdown on May 27 at a New Orleans flood-reduction project funded federally, resulting in the arrest of 15 Central American workers. Additionally, a raid on June 11 in Baton Rouge led to the arrest of 10 Chinese nationals employed at local massage parlors.
Criticism regarding these raids has been voiced by advocates such as Rachel Taber of the Louisiana-based immigrant rights organization Unión Migrante. Taber argues that the raids are detrimental and emphasize the economy’s reliance on immigrant labor. “Introducing racial animosity divides us and, in turn, harms the economy for all,” Taber commented.