Restaurant owners across Texas are banding together with political figures to demand legal work permits for immigrant labor. The coalition, dubbed Seat the Table, cites a sharp rise in unprofitable eateries – 50% of Texas restaurants lost money last year, up from 38% in 2024. Operators say the Trump‑era immigration crackdown has chilled workers, even those with legal status.

State trade group Texas Restaurant Association and national bodies such as the James Beard Foundation have joined the push, arguing that removing undocumented workers would push food prices higher. Farmers also feel the pinch; Sam Lash of Farm to Table notes that immigrant labor fills physically demanding roles Texans increasingly abandon. The coalition urges Congress to grant temporary permits, not full amnesty.

Legislators introduced the Dignity Act last year, offering a five‑year legal status path for long‑term undocumented residents in exchange for a $7,000 restitution schedule and stricter border penalties. Sponsored by Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R‑FL) and Rep. Veronica Escobar (D‑TX), the bill aims to balance bipartisan business pressure with immigration concerns. Its fate will determine whether Texas eateries can stabilize labor costs soon.