The United States’ economy is starting to feel the effects of the administration’s immigration crackdown, reports Aaron Pellish of Politico.
Businesses across the country – from farms to meat packing plants - are scrambling to keep or find replacements for the foreign-born workers that have made up the majority of their workforce for years.
“Essential isn’t a strong enough word,” said Matt Teagarden, head of the Kansas Livestock Association, referring to the role of immigrants in some industries.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said yesterday in a press conference that there will be “no amnesty” for farm workers in the country without authorization and emphasized that the administration wants a 100% American workforce, reports Leah Douglas of Reuters.
Meanwhile, as Los Angeles still struggles to recover from the most destructive wildfires in its history, immigration raids are driving workers into the shadows, John Gittelsohn of Bloomberg reports.
The city may need an additional 70,000 construction workers in the next year to rebuild after fires wreaked havoc on homes and businesses. Recent immigration raids have threatened to hinder progress by generating fear and instability among the workforce needed for recovery, Gittelsohn notes.
“We don’t have enough people to staff the work and we’re scrambling to figure it out,” said Arturo Sneider, a southern California developer. “It’s triggering delays.”
Welcome to Wednesday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Clara Villatoro, the Forum’s assistant VP of strategic communications, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Callie Jacobson, Broc Murphy and Marcela Aguirre. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].
TALENT LOSS — In an expert opinion piece for Inc., Jessica Stillman analyzes how recent research shows that highly skilled immigrants have a positive impact on entrepreneurship. “[M]ore energetic, educated immigrants in a city leads to more companies and more jobs there,” writes Stillman. Additionally, in an episode of The New York Times’ podcast The Opinions Lydia Polgreen and Carlos Lozada discuss the new talent and innovation immigrants bring to the places they move to and what the United States will be missing out if the country shut the door completely.
TPS LITIGATION — Seven immigrants are suing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) after it terminated Temporary Protected Status for people from Nicaragua, Honduras and Nepal, reports Kimmy Yam of NBC News. The lawsuit alleges that the action violates both the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act. “ I work in a hospital, caring for cardiac patients. I’ve been doing it the ‘right way’ the whole time,” said in a statement Jhony Silva, a Honduran TPS holder and a plaintiff in the case. “Now, I am facing losing my job, the ability to care for my family, and the only home I’ve ever known.”
FLORIDA FACILITIES — Florida continues to increase its role in immigration enforcement as construction of another detention facility is underway at Camp Blanding in Starke, reports Jonathan Grass of WFTV News. Meanwhile, immigrants in the South Florida facility known as Alligator Alcatraz claim inhumane conditions in detention, reports Anna McAllister of CBS News.
UPENDING OPINIONS — The family of a Canadian woman who was detained by Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) feels betrayed by the Trump administration, who they initially voted for and supported, reports Ramon Antonio Vargas of The Guardian. Separately, Sabrina Tavernise of The New York Times recounts the story of Chris Allred who despite being anti-illegal immigration, married an undocumented woman from Ecuador.
For more on the personal impact of immigration policies:
