This report finds that increased ICE arrests and deportations reduce employment not only among immigrants but also among U.S.-born workers, finding that every 1,000 immigrant arrests are associated with a 0.54% decline in employment among U.S.-born men in affected areas, with no corresponding wage increase. The authors argue that deportations shrink local workforces and consumer spending and create a broader “chilling effect” among immigrant workers, ultimately reducing economic activity and employment across interconnected industries.

The UC Merced Community and Labor Center analyzed Current Population Survey data for the periods before and following escalations in federal immigration enforcement actions in California. The center examined changes in the number of workers in California and the rest of the US, for the weeks of May 11, June 8 and July 6, 2025, and found that persons reporting private sector work in California decreased by 4.9%—with citizens forming a greater share of the decrease. The state’s downturn in work is comparable with the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, and has profound implications for policymaking.

This analysis finds that the U.S.’s 2.3 million direct care workers—who provide essential long-term care to older adults and people with disabilities—are disproportionately women, people of color, immigrants, and low-wage workers, with many relying on Medicaid themselves. Federal changes including Medicaid spending reductions and work requirements, tighter immigration policies, and proposed rollbacks of labor protections could worsen already significant staffing shortages and make it harder to recruit and retain these workers as demand for long-term care grows.

This report finds that intensified federal immigration enforcement has significantly disrupted Los Angeles County’s economy, where undocumented workers generate an estimated $253.9 billion in economic output and support 1.06 million jobs; 82% of surveyed businesses reported negative effects, including reduced sales, customer traffic, and workforce disruptions. It concludes that the economic consequences extend well beyond people directly targeted by enforcement, as fear and reduced mobility suppress consumer spending and labor participation, with immigrant-heavy communities and consumer-facing businesses experiencing particularly severe impacts.

Immigrants make up a substantial share of the U.S. construction workforce—about one-third of construction tradespeople, including 61% of drywall/ceiling installers, 52% of roofers, and 51% of painters—with particularly heavy reliance in states such as California, New Jersey, Texas, and Florida. Because many of these trades already face significant worker shortages, the data suggest that reductions in immigrant labor could exacerbate construction labor constraints, particularly in homebuilding.

This survey of immigrants provides an in-depth look at the experiences of immigrants in the United States, including in their communities, workplaces, and health care settings. They include surveys conducted in partnership with news media organizations as well as those conducted independently by KFF.

This study finds that expanded ICE enforcement since 2025 significantly reduced local economic activity, with foot traffic falling about 2.7% and consumer spending about 6.2% in targeted metropolitan areas. These effects were persistent and widespread—affecting workplaces, consumers, and businesses across demographic groups and industries—suggesting immigration enforcement creates broader economic costs beyond those directly targeted.