The Trump administration has directed immigration officers to pause arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels after the president expressed alarm about the impact of his administration's aggressive enforcement.

The administration said it has directed immigration officers to pause arrests at farms, restaurants and hotels, stressing that sweeps should focus on people in the U.S. illegally who have criminal backgrounds.

President Trump said in a social media post on Thursday that he may exempt the agriculture and hotel industries from his nationwide immigration crackdown.