The Trump administration’s tougher immigration policies could dramatically reshape the American workforce. A recent study by Brooks Law Firm analyzed key U.S. industries to identify those most vulnerable to disruption under stricter immigration enforcement. The findings highlight industries that rely heavily on foreign-born workers and face significant challenges as a result of new immigration laws.
According to the study, the Information Industry will be hit hardest, with a staggering 416,000 immigrant workers currently employed in the sector. This industry, which has seen rapid growth, could see its expansion hindered by the latest Trump-era policies. While immigrants make up just 1.4% of the total workforce in the information sector, its fast growth rate makes it highly susceptible to policy changes.
Information Industry
The information sector, comprising tech companies and media organizations, employs a large number of immigrant workers. Despite the small percentage of immigrant workers (1.4%) within the industry, the sector’s rapid expansion could slow dramatically due to stricter immigration laws. It is projected that over 416,000 immigrant workers could lose their positions under the new policies.
Education and Health Services
This sector ranks second on the list, with immigrant workers making up a significant 18.4% of the workforce. An estimated 183,500 workers could be affected by the Trump administration’s immigration restrictions. The education and health services industry, already grappling with shortages of qualified personnel, faces a potential exodus of foreign professionals under these new laws.
Professional and Business Services
The professional and business services sector, which includes high-skilled workers such as engineers, lawyers, and consultants, is another area set to lose a considerable number of workers. Immigrant workers make up 15.8% of this industry, and it is projected that over 157,600 immigrant employees could leave the U.S. due to tighter visa regulations.
Public Administration
Public administration ranks fourth, with immigrant workers comprising about 0.1% of the workforce. This industry is one of the slowest growing in terms of workforce expansion, meaning that any significant loss of workers will take a longer time to recover from. Currently, there are 765,000 immigrant workers employed in public administration roles across federal, state, and local governments.
Leisure and Hospitality
With more than 3 million immigrant workers in the U.S., the leisure and hospitality industry stands to lose 101,700 workers due to the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Immigrants represent a substantial portion of the workforce in restaurants, hotels, and entertainment sectors, making this industry highly vulnerable to disruption.
Financial Activities
The financial sector, which employs 5.4% of immigrant workers, faces a loss of approximately 53,800 workers. This industry’s growth, which has remained relatively steady at 0.4%, could slow considerably due to the loss of highly skilled foreign talent. Immigrant workers play an essential role in banks, insurance companies, and investment firms.
Transportation and Utilities
Immigrant workers make up 7.2% of the transportation and utilities sector, with over 2.1 million immigrant employees. Projected losses in this industry stand at around 71,800 workers. From truck drivers to energy sector workers, this sector is vital to the functioning of the U.S. economy and stands to be heavily impacted by policy changes.
Other Services
In the “Other Services” category, which includes a wide range of industries such as repair services, personal care, and religious organizations, over 1.5 million immigrant workers are employed. Similar to the financial industry, immigrants comprise 5.4% of the workforce, with potential losses estimated at over 53,000 workers.
Wholesale and Retail Trade
Immigrants play a significant role in wholesale and retail trade, with over 3 million immigrant workers employed in the sector. The loss of 101,700 immigrant workers due to tighter immigration policies would significantly affect the retail industry, which is heavily reliant on foreign labor for everything from stock management to customer service.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing industry, which also employs over 3 million immigrant workers, faces a loss of 105,700 workers under the new Trump policies. With a slow growth rate of just 0.1%, the impact of this workforce reduction could be particularly damaging to U.S. manufacturing, which depends on immigrant labor in areas like assembly lines, factory operations, and skilled trades.
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, Hunting, Mining, and Construction
Finally, the agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, mining, and construction industries—which together employ 3.8 million immigrant workers, or 12.8% of the total workforce—are projected to lose 127,600 workers due to stricter immigration policies. This sector, which relies heavily on seasonal and skilled labor, faces a significant challenge in maintaining its workforce under the new restrictions.
The industries most affected by Trump’s immigration policies are those that depend on a high percentage of foreign-born workers, particularly in tech, healthcare, professional services, and manual labor sectors. The proposed changes to visa regulations and other immigration controls could disrupt these industries, leading to a shortage of skilled workers, a slowdown in growth, and long-term economic consequences for the U.S. economy. As the government continues to tighten immigration laws, the full impact on these industries will unfold in the coming months and years.
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