Disney and Universal Working Behind the Scenes To Thwart Trump’s Efforts To Deport Undocumented Immigrants

Last year, as Florida began its crackdown on illegal immigrants in the state, Disney World, Universal Studios, and dozens of its partners worked behind the scenes to curb the state’s ability to deport these people that the tourism industry deems essential to their business.

Working through the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association, which counts Disney and Universal as members, Disney and other tourist destinations pushed lawmakers in Florida to pass the Essential Workers Act. This law would have made it easier to hire illegal immigrants who were already living and working in the state.

Florida has the third-largest population of undocumented immigrants in the country, with around 750,000 living in the Sunshine State. They are estimated to contribute $1.8 billion to the state’s economy through their taxes.

With Disney and Universal desperately needing workers, the FRLA proposed this new law that would’ve allowed undocumented immigrants to work in the state, assuming they could prove they lived in Florida for three years and had no criminal record. The applicants would also have to show proof of employment within 30 days and be required to make a “good faith” effort to learn English.

However, the state legislature decided to hold off on moving that bill forward to focus on another bill that would solve Disney and Universal’s labor shortage: a child labor bill.

Florida passed a bill that stripped most child labor laws, including maximum hours per day and week and curfews for high school students. However, that effort did not fill the job openings at Florida’s theme parks.

With Donald Trump promising to deport all undocumented immigrants, Disney and Universal again find themselves looking at losing a portion of their workforce. Once again, the FRLA might need to head back to the Florida Legislature to protect its workforce.

FRLA lobbyist Samantha Padgett told Orlando Weekly:

We are hoping to revisit this issue in the future. While FRLA actively engages in policy development and advocacy that supports a strong workforce and strong economy, we have not yet finalized our legislative agenda for the 2025 session.

However, Jeremy Haicken, president of Unite Here Local 737, which represents thousands of Walt Disney World employees, said:

This proposed legislation is an acknowledgement that the billionaires who own and run Florida’s hotels can’t get the work done without the thousands of undocumented immigrants who work alongside workers with legal status. Let’s cut the anti-immigrant rhetoric and focus on protections, raises, and health insurance for everyone working in the hotel industry. 

With an estimated 13 million undocumented immigrants in the country, Trump’s deportation threat would have a dramatic effect on the tourism and restaurant industries. The National Restaurant Association sent a memo to the president-elect urging him to support immigrants who “contribute to the economy.”

For now, Disney and Universal will have to fight at the state level to protect its workforce against mass deportation.