Tensions are running high at Kentucky racetracks as trainers fear immigration raids like the one that swept through Louisiana, threatening a workforce that is overwhelmingly made up of migrant laborers.
The concern stems from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid that reportedly detained dozens of workers at a Louisiana racetrack. The sweep sent shockwaves through the tight-knit thoroughbred racing community, especially in Kentucky, where nearly 70% of backstretch labor is done by immigrants, many of whom may be undocumented or lack long-term work visas.
Dale Romans, a veteran trainer at Churchill Downs and president of the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA), called the current climate "scary times," noting a palpable sense of fear among migrant workers at the track, WHAS11 reported.
Romans said he plans to meet with Churchill Downs leadership and has begun contacting lawmakers to push for an expanded pathway to legal work authorization through the H-2B visa program.
"Nobody else wants to do this work," Romans said, emphasizing that many of these employees have built lives and communities around racetrack jobs. "If you just swept them away, we'd be in serious trouble."
Meanwhile, Peter Ecabert, a lawyer for the national HBPA, urged racetracks to demand valid warrants from ICE officers before permitting entry. He stressed that many workers are documented, but the atmosphere of fear doesn't distinguish between legal and undocumented residents.
As of Wednesday evening, Churchill Downs and Keeneland had yet to respond to press inquiries.
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