Immigration crackdown causing 'Trump slump' in Las Vegas tourism, unions say

The Trump administration’s immigration policies are affecting workers and driving, in part, a decline in tourism, including international tourists, to Las Vegas, according to workers and the largest labor union in the state of Nevada.

Visitors to Las Vegas overall dropped 11.3% in June 2025, compared to the same month last year. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, international visitors to one of the world’s largest tourist destinations dropped 13% in June.

“A lot of departments are having a lot of layoffs,” said ​​Norma Torres, a housekeeper for eight years at Mandalay Bay and a member of the Culinary Union, who has worked in the hospitality industry since she was 18 years old. “In the housekeeping department, the people on call are barely called into work.”

Canada is Nevada’s largest international market. Flair Airlines, a Canadian airline, reported a 55% drop in passengers compared to last year. Air Canada reported a 13.2% drop in passengers from May to June this year to Las Vegas, and one third lower compared to last year.

Trump administration officials have reportedly pushed for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) agents to arrest 3,000 people a day as part of their anti-immigration agenda. They have subsequently denied that those quotas exist. But they have continued to revoke immigration statuses, delayed action for childhood arrivals, and other humanitarian immigration programs.

“If you tell the rest of the world you’re not welcome, they are going to listen. Our members are telling us that they’re quite nervous, and that’s why they’re calling it a Trump slump,” said Ted Pappageorge, secretary treasurer of Culinary Workers Union Local 226.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/11/las-vegas-tourism-decline-trump-immigration