President Donald Trump’s immigrant deportation efforts have escalated dramatically over the past few weeks, setting workers on edge and stirring up fear in workplaces across the U.S.
From Los Angeles to Texas and Florida, agents from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have shown up at businesses to check for undocumented workers and make arrests. Trump wrote in a social media post on Sunday that ICE agents would “do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.”
These efforts have created a new sense of urgency among business leaders about how they should prepare their workforces if ICE comes knocking. “This week was the first time ICE raids actually came up in conversations I had with CHROs,” says Kevin Martin, chief research officer and CHRO advisor for research firm i4cp. “If you are potentially subject to raids, and are not communicating something out to your employees about this, to me, that’s negligence.”
Even if their workplace is unlikely to attract ICE attention, the latest developments should make bosses consider how these policy changes may affect employees—whether staffers are just reading headlines, or of they’re affected by the immigration crackdowns through their friends, family, or community at large.
Here’s what communication experts told Fortune about how managers should address an increasingly fearful atmosphere around immigration in the U.S.
Tell employees if the company has a plan if ICE comes knocking. Some businesses have created detailed protocols to help guide employees about what to do if immigration agents actually show up at work. Having a clear policy around what’s expected in these instances can help workers feel prepared and less anxious. That includes knowing who to notify, and where these agents are allowed to go (public spaces only, not private).
These plans can include reminders for workers about their rights. For instance, employees don’t have to answer direct questions from ICE officers or other government agents about their citizenship status, even if they are on the premises, legal experts previously told Fortune. They also have the right to remain silent and ask for legal representation.
“It requires a kind of training that goes down to a granular level,” says Nonnie Shivers, an employment lawyer and managing shareholder at firm Ogletree Deakins. “All companies, no matter the culture, have a duty to provide a safe workplace for their employees, and that requires being aware of exactly what’s transpiring in real time, and having a plan of action.”
Internal messaging is key. Many business leaders are reluctant to speak publicly about ongoing immigration crackdowns around the U.S. But communication experts that Fortune spoke with say they should still address the issue among their own workforce.
“We live in such a divided culture that it’s difficult to step out and become involved in politics. But that being said, I absolutely think companies need to address the stress that this is creating in the workplace and acknowledge that it exists,” says Diana Scott, a former CHRO and current leader of the U.S. human capital center at The Conference Board, a non-profit business membership and research association.
Acknowledge it’s a personal issue for many people. Simply recognizing that there are people who have friends and relatives fearful of getting deported can go a long way, says Scott
“It can be as simple as saying ‘This is a difficult time for all of us, and we need to be focused on caring for one another,’” she tells Fortune. “Remind people that we’re all human beings and that no matter what the situation is, many of us are going to be impacted by this.”
Offer flexible work arrangements. The recent protests in Los Angeles, and subsequent deployment of the National Guard, closed some areas of the city and resulted in evening curfews. It’s unclear how the protests will unfold over the course of this summer, but bosses should have a plan in place if employees are physically barred from the office.
“Every leader needs a contingency plan right now that would allow the business to operate even if certain spaces are shut down, or office buildings are inaccessible,” says Edward Segal, crisis management expert and author of The Crisis Casebook: Lessons in Crisis Management from the World’s Leading Brands.
Offer to connect employees with legal resources. While company leaders should avoid giving out legal advice, they can connect employees to outside counsel and provide them with referrals to local immigration attorneys, support groups, or emergency hotlines, says Shivers. Some companies even offer legal services as a company benefit, which employees should be reminded of. “I think we have to look at all of the tools in our toolkit as employers, that allows people to be successful,” she says.
Highlight emotional support systems. Many employees feeling anxious right now, and bosses should remind them of any mental health care resources available to them. That includes things like access to counseling benefits through work, or even employee resources groups that might allow them to talk about their experiences in a setting away from management.
“This is a good time to lean into employee resource groups as a safe space where employees can talk about how they’re feeling and share access to different kinds of support,” says Scott.
