What happens to local economies when policies meant to increase security end up disrupting the workforce businesses rely on?

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When security policies disrupt the workers local businesses depend on, the result is usually a labor shock that spreads quickly through the broader economy: fewer employees show up, customers stay home, projects stall, sales fall, and prices rise. Recent reporting and research point to the same pattern across sectors such as construction, agriculture, restaurants, retail, and hospitality. In South Texas, builders say immigration crackdowns have kept workers from job sites, delaying construction and straining related businesses. National housing groups warn that because immigrants make up a large share of construction labor, sudden workforce losses can slow homebuilding and push up housing costs. The damage is not limited to employers losing staff. Enforcement actions can also reduce consumer activity because families avoid shopping, dining out, or traveling to work. A UCLA study of Los Angeles County found 46,000 fewer business visits and about $3.16 million in losses near nine enforcement sites within two weeks. In Chicago, University of Illinois Chicago researchers estimated a 9% drop in retail visits, a 10% drop in restaurant visits, roughly $1.26 billion in business losses, and about $107 million in lost state tax revenue over a year. Research also suggests these shocks can cost jobs beyond immigrant workers themselves. Studies cited by immigration and labor researchers found that arrests and fear-driven absences can shrink employment for U.S.-born workers in connected r…

Trump’s Latino Approval Sinks to 31% as 42% of 2024 Backers Express Regret

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Trump’s Latino Approval Sinks to 31% as 42% of 2024 Backers Express Regret

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