Last week, President Trump acknowledged the economic risks of his administration’s deportation plans to certain industries, briefly pausing workplace immigration raids on farms, meatpacking plants, hotels, and restaurants. He was right to be concerned about the impact of these actions. As a workforce advocacy organization, National Skills Coalition understands the damaging impacts of these policies on workers and small businesses, not only on an economic level but on a deeply human one.
Immigrants account for an outsized share of the workforce in agriculture, hospitality, and construction. Workers in those sectors harvest the food we eat, build homes that shelter our families, and so much more. Without immigrants, those industries would face a steep worker shortage, which in turn would create challenges for businesses and push up the cost of groceries and housing for everyone. It would also exacerbate people’s existing concerns about food and housing prices, and heighten economic uncertainty for small businesses.
Policies that impact immigrant workers and their families ripple out to affect everyone, including people born in the US. At National Skills Coalition, we value the essential role that immigrants play in the US workforce, representing nearly 1 in 5 workers nationwide.
More specifically, immigrant workers and business owners are deeply embedded across NSC’s national network—whether as workforce board leaders, adult education program directors, rural business owners, or skills training participants. Our members know firsthand that building welcoming communities creates a stronger economy.
The President’s mass deportation policy is doing the opposite — harming millions of working families and hurting the economy in the process. Mass deportations are creating a chilling effect for all immigrants, regardless of their legal status, their industry of employment, or their zip code. High-profile enforcement actions undermine people’s sense of everyday safety and damage businesses’ ability to provide a safe and productive working environment. Out of fear of arrest and family separation, people miss work, school, and skills training programs – all of which are essential to building a stronger workforce.
Ongoing deportation raids and the implementation of restrictive new immigration policies also hold back our nation’s economic growth. Prior to President Trump taking office, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the increase in immigration expected between 2024 and 2034 would boost the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) by $8.9 trillion.
Given the essential role of immigrants in our workforce, it’s no surprise that business leaders expressed alarm as the Trump Administration ratcheted up immigration enforcement actions and revoked work permits for hundreds of thousands of workers.
But it’s not just business leaders who disapprove. Public support is also shifting as the administration targets people who are working hard to make a better life for themselves and their families. Polls show that the majority of Americans oppose deporting people who have a job, especially if they have been here for years or have American children or spouses. And some Republican members of Congress have begun to warn against deporting immigrant workers who play a crucial role in growing our nation’s economy.
Most Americans want Republicans and Democrats to work together on commonsense solutions to immigration reform that recognize the valuable contributions of immigrants who are integral members of our communities and economy. But right now, Congress is poised to pass a budget reconciliation bill that will greatly increase funding for immigration enforcement while severely undercutting immigrants’ ability to participate in education and workforce programs. National Skills Coalition opposes this legislation and the harmful cuts it would make to education, workforce, and human services.
Despite divisive rhetoric, it’s not too late for Congress to change course and advance legislation that would truly support all working people – immigrants and those born in the U.S. alike. A reconciliation bill that invests in people would benefit workers and local business leaders of every background who form the backbone of our economy.
