Immigration Enforcement Efforts Disrupt Utah's Restaurant Industry

Strategic Insights -

As the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts intensify, restaurateurs in Utah are facing a perfect storm of challenges. According to local industry leaders, the policies and policing are interrupting business, fueling fear, and driving up costs.

Key Takeaways:

  • Almost 90,000 undocumented immigrants live in Utah, with nearly half having resided in the state for more than 15 years.
  • Around 17% of those ages 16 and older work in hospitality services, arts, entertainment, or recreation.
  • Restaurant owners rely on immigrant workers to fill tough-to-hire jobs previously occupied by high schoolers and college students.
  • Immigrants are among the hardest workers, but many fear leaving home amid ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.
  • Labor shortages, coupled with people dining out less frequently and Trump-imposed tariffs, have forced some restaurants to hike prices.
  • hoax phone calls from a person posing as a law enforcement agent demanding information about staff have prompted employees to skip shifts.
  • Agricultural workers are also missing days at work due to fear of ICE raids.
  • Nationwide, some operators are trying to educate their employees about what to do if an ICE raid happens.
  • The American Business Immigration Coalition's Intermountain region has identified immigration solutions as essential to access to food.

Statistics:

  • 89,000 undocumented immigrants live in Utah (Migration Policy Institute's 2019 estimates)
  • 17% of undocumented immigrants aged 16 and older work in hospitality services, arts, entertainment, or recreation (Migration Policy Institute's 2019 estimates)
  • 90% of restaurants in Utah use immigrant workers (Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association estimates)
  • 75% of restaurants in Utah have experienced labor shortages (Salt Lake Area Restaurant Association estimates)
  • 50% of restaurants in Utah have had to hike prices due to tariffs and demand (Restaurant Dive's Summer 2025 Consumer Pulse)

Sources:

  • Axios: "Utah restaurateurs feel impacts of Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts" (no date)
  • Migration Policy Institute: "Unauthorized Immigrant Population in the United States" (2019)
  • CNN: "ICE workplace raids expected to increase under Trump administration" (June 13, 2025)
  • Food Institute: "3 Dilemmas Restaurants Face as They Fight to Stay Afloat Amid Wage Hikes" (no date)
  • Restaurant Dive: "7% fewer people dining out, plus trade and immigration woes, weighs on KPMG Consumer Pulse" (no date)
  • Axios: "Salt Lake City restaurants feel pressure of tariffs imposed by Trump administration" (May 5, 2025)
  • ABC 4: "Bountiful restaurant receives phone calls threatening immigration raid" (no date)
  • American Business Immigration Coalition: "Intermountain Region" (no date)
  • El Restaurante: "El Restaurante Survey: Restaurants Fear ICE and Take Action" (no date)