Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid Delta Downs in search of undocumented workers on Tuesday.

© Hodges Photography

By Leann Noguera, StallioneSearch

VINTON, LA—JUNE 17, 2025—Federal immigration agents executed a full-scale raid at Delta Downs Racetrack early Tuesday morning in a move that has sent shockwaves through the horse racing industry.

The operation, carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in coordination with state and local law enforcement, targeted the racetrack’s backside on Tuesday, during a dark day of racing amid their active Quarter Horse meet.

The raid, which began before 8:00 a.m., shut down all access roads to the track, including the adjacent federal highway. Drones were reportedly used to survey the property, and multiple sources have claimed that several dozen individuals were detained during the sweep.

According to Louisiana HBPA Executive Director Ed Fenasci, no one was permitted in or out once the operation began. “They shut down the highway, buttoned down the place, and had an ICE raid. That’s what we’re dealing with,” Fenasci said.

The raid caused immediate disruption to backside operations, with troubling accounts emerging of horses left unattended. National HBPA CEO Eric Hamelback confirmed secondhand reports of horses tied to walkers and stall fronts without supervision, and at least one incident in which a rider was reportedly told to dismount and release the horse.

Boyd Gaming, the parent company that owns and operates Delta Downs, acknowledged the incident in a prepared statement. David Strow, vice president of corporate communications, said the company complies fully with federal labor laws and, to their knowledge, no Delta Downs employees were swept up in the raid. “We will cooperate with law enforcement as requested,” the statement read.

The raid's timing has raised particular concern due to recent public remarks made by President Donald Trump. Just days earlier, the president announced a pause on immigration raids, reassuring immigrant workers in hospitality and agriculture that they had “nothing to fear” from his administration's enforcement plans..

Reports on June 16 suggested that the Department of Homeland Security had reversed its previous directive to pause enforcement actions at farms, hotels, and restaurants. According to The Washington Post, ICE and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) field offices were only informed of the policy reversal late Sunday evening, suggesting a last-minute directive from the White House.

Hamelback, who has been working with the American Business Immigration Coalition, was in discussions on Tuesday morning with the lobbying group associated with industries that rely on immigrant labor, to try to find clarity on whether the racing industry would be targeted in the future.

"This is very concerning,” Hamelback said. “Very concerning.”

The effects of the raid reach far beyond Delta Downs. Hamelback pointed out that the racing industry is already struggling with a shrinking labor pool, particularly on the backside. Trainers at tracks and breeding farms alike are finding it increasingly difficult to secure experienced help.

“We’re already operating with shortages,” he said. “It’s getting more and more difficult to secure help these days."

To address the potential fallout, Hamelback said he reached out Tuesday to several members of Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky, and Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, warning them of the long-term damage that such enforcement actions could bring to the horse racing industry.

Tuesday’s raid at Delta Downs is believed to be the first large-scale immigration sweep of a racetrack under the current administration. It follows targeted visits earlier this year at the Frontera Training Center in New Mexico and Oaklawn Park in Arkansas.

With no clear exemption for racetracks and farms, and conflicting signals from the federal government, many in the industry now fear that more operations like this could follow.

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