Brookings Links 2025 ICE Arrest Surges to 0.4% U.S. City Job Losses
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Sep 18
Brookings Links 2025 ICE Arrest Surges to 0.4% U.S. City Job Losses
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Sep 18
Summary
Employment in metro areas where ICE arrests rose fastest in 2025 ran 0.4% below its expected path immediately after enforcement spikes and stayed depressed for up to a year, Brookings said.
Each arrest was associated with four lost jobs on average, as workers avoided job sites out of fear and businesses cut hours, froze hiring, delayed expansion or shut down.
Brookings said the damage spread beyond immigrant workers: stalled construction projects and weaker consumer spending hit managers, equipment operators and local storefronts as residents stopped going out.
The White House rejected the study's conclusion, arguing tougher immigration enforcement protects American workers and communities while the Trump administration keeps border security at the center of its agenda.
Other 2026 research pointed the same way, with Wharton finding weaker spending near ICE raids and UCLA estimating Los Angeles County business visits fell by as much as 11% after operations.