ICE Raids Paralyze Projects and Drive Up Costs in the U.S. Construction Industry

• ICE Raids Cause Costly Delays
• Fear Shrinks the Workforce
• Labor Costs Have Doubled

Under the scorching Alabama sun, Robby Robertson — superintendent of a $20 million construction project — walks through a nearly finished site that was supposed to be completed by November 1.

But the atmosphere is “eerily” quiet: more than half of his workers are absent.

The reason? An ICE raid in Florida, over 230 miles away.

Since then, progress has stalled for three weeks, and only part of the crew has returned.

“I support Trump, but I don’t think raids are the solution,” said Robertson, aware that even documented workers fear being detained.

“They’re scared just because of the color of their skin. They’re scared because they look undocumented.”

ICE Raids Lead to Cost Overruns, Delays, and Fewer Workers

The effects are being felt nationwide.

Interviews with 14 industry insiders — from CEOs to laborers — reveal a pattern: the raids trigger delays, added costs, and deepen the shortage of skilled labor.

The US construction industry already relied on about 1.4 million undocumented workers — more than any other sector.

Tim Harrison, a contractor in Alabama, puts it bluntly: “Our industry needs Hispanic immigrant workers.”

With a state unemployment rate of 3.2%, finding replacements is nearly impossible.

And while many use the E-Verify system, it doesn’t stop the circulation of fake documents.

Brent Taylor in Tampa has also seen the fallout: his labor costs have doubled.

“They basically charge a hazard rate,” he says of the higher wages workers now demand due to fear of being detained by ICE.

Mixed Reactions from Washington

While ICE claims its operations aim to stop labor trafficking and exploitation, frustration is growing among business owners.

“The threats have caused entire crews not to show up,” says Jim Tobin of the National Association of Home Builders.

In response, associations from construction, agriculture, and hospitality have traveled to Washington to push for reforms that would grant temporary legal status to foreign workers.

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But Republican opposition has stalled any progress.

“For 40 years, this country has done little to train American workers in construction,” laments Brian Turmail of the Associated General Contractors of America.

Although the government is promoting more training programs, the impact will be long-term. For now, many workers have gone into hiding “out of fear and hysteria,” according to Harrison.

Caught Between the Law and the Labor Shortage

While the White House defends strict immigration enforcement as a way to employ low-income Americans, the construction sector faces a dilemma: it urgently needs skilled hands — many of them Hispanic — but the political climate has driven them away.

“The roof should’ve been done by now, but it’s still incomplete,” says Robertson, worried about rain and rising costs.

Each day of delay adds $4,000 to his company’s expenses, which already total an estimated $84,000 in losses.

Immigration raids are not only reshaping politics in Washington — they are also reshaping the concrete, wood, and rooftops of construction sites across the U.S.

The construction industry is stuck between immigration law and the urgent need for skilled labor.

Do you think it’s possible to balance immigration enforcement with labor stability in key industries like construction?

SOURCE: Forbes