WACO, Texas (KXXV) — New survey data shows 36% of Texas restaurant operators have lost employees because of immigration enforcement this year. Now the Texas Restaurant Association is pushing for a legal work permit option for long-term, law-abiding immigrants as congressional leaders consider an immigration bill.
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The Texas Restaurant Association says a worker shortage can impact food costs because farms, ranches, meatpacking plants and distribution centers are also struggling to find enough workers. In its second quarter 2026 economic survey, 28% of Texas restaurant operators reported fewer job applicants or fewer people accepting job offers.
Kelsey Erickson Streufert, a Texas Restaurant Association spokesperson, said more than half of restaurants surveyed across Texas are struggling with staffing.
"We need laws, we need procedures, we need to vet people, we need border security, all of those things. But also, we have hundreds of thousands of people who play key roles in our workforce and in our economy. And right now, they really have no legal pathway to continue to contribute. You know, these are people who in many instances have been here for decades. They're generally law-abiding," Erickson Streufert said.
The Texas Restaurant Association is pushing to make work permits more accessible to immigrants as labor shortages and food costs rise.
"Food costs are up over 35% since the pandemic. Credit card processing fees, labor, insurance, rent, it all costs a lot more. And so if you're losing revenue because you can't stay fully staffed, that really makes it impossible to get ahead," Erickson Streufert said.
In Waco, preliminary U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows a drop in the number of restaurants from 2024 to 2025. The Texas Restaurant Association says it is a concern for overall economic growth.
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