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5d ago

Nashville Restaurants Face Staffing Crisis Following ICE Raids

Three high-profile establishments owned by Trump donor Steve Smith struggle to recover after undocumented workers were sent home during immigration sweeps.

Kid Rock attends the 2023 Veteran's Day Parade on November 11, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee.
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WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 31: U.S. President Donald Trump, accompanied by entertainer Kid Rock, takes a question from a reporter during an executive order signing event in the Oval Office of the White House on March 31, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump has signed an executive order against ticket scalping and reforming the live entertainment ticket industry. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Managers at Kid Rock’s Big Ass Honky Tonk Rock N’ Roll Steakhouse, The Diner, and Honky Tonk Central instructed undocumented workers to leave mid-shift on May 10, halting kitchen operations.
  • The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the weeklong ICE operation in Nashville resulted in 196 arrests, including 101 individuals with no criminal history.
  • The staffing shortages disrupted service through the weekend, leaving restaurants unable to meet high customer demand from nearby events.
  • Nashville’s legal director, Wallace Dietz, stated that the city is unable to intervene in federal and state immigration enforcement actions.
  • The raids highlight the tension between federal immigration policies and the reliance of conservative-aligned businesses on undocumented labor.