Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, REPORTS—Deportations can adversely impact jobs for U.S.-born workers as well, think tank claims, (Jul 15, 2025)

By Brandi O. Brown, J.D.

“Because jobs held by U.S.-born and immigrant workers are often complementary and economically linked, the shrinking supply of immigrant labor can adversely affect employer demand for jobs held by both groups of workers.”

In a report recently released by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank, the author claims that deportations will eliminate millions of jobs, including jobs held by both immigrant and U.S.-born workers. The author claims that President Trump’s increase in deportations could impact as many as six million jobs, including 18.8 percent of constructions jobs and 15.1 percent of child care jobs.

Other job impacts. “Because jobs held by U.S.-born and immigrant workers are often complementary and economically linked,” the author writes, “the shrinking supply of immigrant labor can adversely affect employer demand for jobs held by both groups of workers.” Citing a 2024 working paper, for example, the report notes that when there are fewer immigrant roofers and framers to build home structures, there will be less work available for U.S.-born electricians and plumbers. “If there are fewer dishwashers and cooks,” the report notes as another example, “restaurants may limit their hours or shift their operations toward takeout, reducing the overall employment of waitstaff and managers.”

This can also cut across sectors, the author contends, noting by way of example that where the hours of immigrant-born childcare workers and cleaners are reduced, U.S.-born mothers of young children worked less in response.

Fewer consumers too. Similarly, the report notes that reduction in the immigrant population and their public activities is also a reduction in consumers and business owners, which negatively impacts consumer demand, investment, and consumption of goods and services.

Key findings of the report include that, if the Trump administration follows through on its deportation goals over the next four years, there would be 3.3 million fewer employed immigrants and 2.6 million fewer employed U.S.-born workers by the end of that period; employment in the construction sector would drop sharply, and half a million child care jobs would be eliminated; and California, Florida, New York, and Texas would experience the highest number of job losses.

News: Reports IndustryNewsTrends Immigration ImmigrationNews EconomicNews