There’s a lot of chatter today about Donald Trump’s plan to declare a national emergency and activate the National Guard to carry out his campaign promise of mass deportations of migrants living in the U.S. without legal permission. What Trump isn’t talking about, however, is the actual economic impact losing millions of undocumented migrant workers would have on local economies. A New York Times reporter found a whopping 40% of crop workers in the United States do not have legal immigration status. And Americans typically aren’t willing to do backbreaking work in the fields.
Trump has long said he intends to use the National Guard, local law enforcement, and possibly the military, to achieve his goal – beginning on “day one.” Lombardo ignored multiple inquiries about whether he’ll assist Trump by deploying the National Guard.https://t.co/5XCfkuWH3M
— Nevada Current (@NevadaCurrent) November 15, 2024
For instance, here in Nevada, reporter Dana Gentry found the state is not ready for the proposed mass deportations. Some numbers: According to the American Immigration Council (AIC), mass deportation in Nevada would:
• remove some 136,000 undocumented workers who make up 9% of the state’s employed workforce, the highest share per capita in the nation.
• remove almost one-quarter of skilled construction workers and 13% of hospitality workers.
• result in the loss of 43% of landscaping and groundskeeping workers; 42.5% of construction laborers, 41.6% of carpenters, 35.3% of housekeeping workers, and 25.4% of cooks.
According to the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), agricultural output will fall between $30 and $60 billion if Trump’s flagship policy is carried out. ABC News adds more with this report from farms in California where nearly 25% of produce is raised. Take five minutes and watch.
.@MarthaRaddatz traveled to California, where many farmers rely on undocumented workers, to discuss concerns around Donald Trump’s plans for mass deportations.
“We can’t afford a labor shortage … Not only will food be less available, it’ll be more expensive,” one farmer says. pic.twitter.com/qPkdFAUlGf — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) November 17, 2024
To be clear, I do believe violent criminals who are in the U.S. illegally should be removed. But I don’t think there are 20 million violent undocumented immigrants here. And I don’t think we need the National Guard to remove those that are.
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