Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Sparks Fears of Workforce Shortages Across U.S. Industries

As immigration enforcement intensifies under former President Donald Trump’s renewed crackdown, businesses across the United States are warning of mounting labour shortages that could hurt the economy and fuel inflation.

In Maryland, Victor Moran, CEO of Total Quality, a cleaning company with over 1,200 staff, says he has already lost about 15 workers since the Trump administration revoked protections for immigrants from Venezuela and Nicaragua. Moran fears hundreds more could be affected if the clampdown continues. Many of his workers are in the U.S. under programs that allow temporary work permits, which are now under threat.

“We are being squeezed,” Moran said. “These are reliable workers who are hard to replace.”

Moran’s concern echoes those of business owners nationwide as the Trump camp signals a harder line on immigration. The approach includes workplace raids, visa suspensions, and efforts to dismantle protections granted under programs like Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The Biden administration had paused many of these actions, but Trump has revived them as part of a broader agenda in his bid to return to the White House.

Immigrants currently make up nearly 20% of the U.S. workforce, a record high according to census data. While Trump insists his focus is on undocumented immigrants – who account for an estimated 4% of workers – critics warn that the ripple effects are already being felt more widely, particularly among those with legal status under temporary programs.

Justino Gomez, a 73-year-old Salvadoran cleaner living in Maryland, said he has lived in fear since Trump began efforts to end TPS protections for some nationalities. “Every time I leave home, I feel anxious,” said Gomez, who has worked in restaurants and cleaning jobs for decades. “I’m afraid I’ll be taken away.”

The economic implications are already emerging. According to University of California, Davis economist Giovanni Peri, immigration has been a key driver of workforce growth in recent years. A sudden reduction in immigrant workers could stall business expansion and push wages higher as companies scramble for staff – factors that could worsen inflation.

“The U.S. risks becoming less dynamic,” Peri warned. “Immigration is a pillar of economic vitality. Removing that could slow growth significantly.”

The healthcare and homecare sectors are especially vulnerable. Adam Lampert, CEO of Cambridge Caregivers and Manchester Care Homes in Texas, said immigrants make up roughly 80% of his 350-person workforce. He has already lost some staff due to changes in work permit policies and fears more could follow.

“If they’re pushed out, we’ll have to raise wages, and that cost will go to our clients,” Lampert said. “We can’t run this system without immigrant labour.”

Similar concerns have been raised in construction. Jim Tobin, president of the National Association of Homebuilders, said work crews have begun disappearing from sites as enforcement ramps up. “It’s slowing projects and raising prices,” he said, urging lawmakers to introduce a visa program specifically for construction workers.

At Harris Health System in Texas, CEO Esmail Porsa confirmed the loss of staff due to immigration changes and said it would take years to train new workers to meet the healthcare demands of a growing and aging population. “We are headed for a crisis,” he warned.

Despite internal pressure from some Republican allies and industries such as agriculture and hospitality, Trump appears committed to expanding immigration enforcement. While he reportedly paused some workplace raids temporarily after backlash, the Department of Homeland Security has stated that enforcement remains central to its operations.

“We are focused on ensuring compliance with the law,” DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told the BBC. “Workplace enforcement is a cornerstone of our approach.”

For now, many U.S. companies are bracing for further disruptions, with little expectation of major immigration reform on the horizon. As Tobin put it, “Until there’s a clear signal from the White House, enforcement – not solutions – will dominate the agenda.”