Kentucky’s horse racing industry, a vital cultural and economic force generating $6.5 billion annually and supporting over 60,000 jobs, is facing workforce challenges amid increased federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. Recent ICE raids, such as the arrest of over 80 workers at Louisiana’s Delta Downs racetrack, have heightened fears among trainers and backstretch workers, many of whom are immigrants and essential to the industry. These workers perform demanding tasks like grooming and exercising horses daily, but the threat of detainment has led to labor shortages, impacting both the people and the care of the horses.

The industry relies heavily on immigrant labor, estimated at around 70%, with many workers already vetted through state licensing processes. To avoid immigration encounters, some workers now live on-site at farms, but the shrinking workforce risks the viability of smaller horse farms. Advocates are engaging with federal lawmakers to explore visa pathways and protections for these specialized workers to sustain the equine industry’s future in Kentucky.