Immigrants at the Heart of California’s Frontline Workforce

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As Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents continue their aggressive immigration raids across Southern California despite a recent court order, a growing body of investigation shows just how damaging the mass deportation of immigrant labor could be for California’s economy.

Immigrants in California power every major sector of the state’s economy. Specifically, undocumented and immigrant workers account for a large share of frontline, hands-on occupations like agricultural workers, construction laborers and cooks, according to a report from the Bay Area Council Economic Institute.

“Their contributions are not marginal, they are foundational to the functioning of California’s economy and to the daily routines of millions of residents – both immigrant and non-immigrant,” the report said.

The research report is included on the resources page of CA For US, a new coalition of business, labor, faith and philanthropy leaders that is calling for comprehensive immigration policy reform, which is overwhelmingly supported by Americans.

CA For U.S. includes more than 20 organizations including the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, SEIU United Service Workers West, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Latino Community Foundation.

California’s reliance on immigrant labor is undeniable in some occupations – in roles such as maids and housekeepers and farm workers, immigrants make up more than 70% of the workforce, with undocumented workers accounting for 30% or more, according to the research report.

The construction industry was already facing a significant labor shortage before the immigration raids started this summer. US Census data show that just over 60% of construction workers in the state are immigrants and 26% are undocumented.

The June report – titled the “The Economic Impact of Mass Deportation in California” – included interviews with dozens of stakeholders. One respondent from a trade organization said:

If mass deportations start “there’s going to be raids on construction sites. You’re not going to have homes being built. Pretty simple.”

Without undocumented labor, California’s construction industry would shrink by nearly 16% of its GDP and the agricultural sector would contract by 14%, according to the report.

“The loss of this labor would ripple across the economy, delaying projects, reducing food supply, and driving up costs,” the report said.

Earlier this month, CA For US issued a joint condemnation of the immigration raids that began in June in Los Angeles.

“Reasonable minds can differ about what our federal immigration priorities ought to be, but when employees feel unsafe, customers stay home, families are disrupted, and uncertainty replaces stability, everyone suffers – regardless of immigration status,” the statement said.