LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Federal immigration agents carried out a raid Tuesday morning at Delta Downs Racetrack in Vinton, Louisiana, detaining multiple backstretch workers and sparking new fears across an industry already on edge over a potential crackdown on immigrant labor.
The operation involved federal, state and local law enforcement, according to multiple media outlets. ICE agents reportedly arrived mid-morning, blocked all access points to the facility and began detaining individuals working behind the scenes. The raid took place during a scheduled dark day for live racing.
Eric Hamelback, chief executive officer of the Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association, told the Daily Racing Form that a number of backstretch workers were apprehended.
The action came just days after President Donald Trump appeared to walk back aggressive immigration enforcement targeting certain industries. In recent remarks, Trump suggested he had instructed ICE to avoid raids at workplaces associated with agriculture and hospitality — following pressure from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who warned that fear of enforcement was already keeping workers from showing up.
But Tuesday's raid has delivered a jarring message to racing insiders.
"This is very concerning," Hamelback told Daily Racing Form. "Very concerning."
At Churchill Downs in Louisville, concerns have been simmering for months. Ahead of May's Kentucky Derby, trainers and backside workers expressed deep anxiety about the possibility of federal raids.
"I've worked with immigrant workers my whole life," trainer Dale Romans said at the time. "And I've never seen people under the stress they're going through the last six months. Everybody's worried."
Hamelback said Tuesday that he's been in contact with the American Business Immigration Coalition, a group that advocates on behalf of industries reliant on immigrant labor, to better understand whether more enforcement actions may be on the horizon.
According to Rebecca Shi, CEO of the coalition, nearly 78% of workers on the backstretches of U.S. racetracks are immigrants, and more than 70% are Latino or foreign-born.
ICE hasn't publicly commented on Tuesday's activity. A spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations told The Louisiana Illuminator that the agency "does not confirm or discuss ongoing operations."
Delta Downs, owned by Boyd Gaming, is currently hosting a Quarter Horse meet. Law enforcement agencies in Louisiana confirmed their participation in Tuesday's operation but referred all questions about detentions or arrests to ICE.
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