The Economic and Humanitarian Toll of Mass Deportation in New York
New York, a state built on the contributions of immigrants, faces a looming crisis as the trump governance ramps up its immigration enforcement policies. A recent report by the Fiscal Policy Institute and the Immigration Research Initiative sheds light on the devastating economic and fiscal impacts of mass deportation in the Empire State. The findings reveal not only the human cost but also the tangible financial repercussions that could ripple across industries and communities.
The Threat to Immigrants and New York’s Economy
“Trump’s incoming administration promises an unprecedented intensity of coercive actions aimed at expelling immigrants from communities, workplaces, and New York families,” the report states. These actions could result in deportations, indefinite detentions, or the stripping of legal status from immigrants who currently reside in the U.S.
The most vulnerable are undocumented immigrants, but the threat extends to those with temporary visas, Temporary Protected Status, asylum seekers, and DACA beneficiaries. “This type of regime of law enforcement has high-range social and humanitarian implications,” the report emphasizes.
key Findings: What’s at Stake?
New York is home to 4.5 million immigrants,including 1.8 million non-citizens and an estimated 670,000 undocumented individuals. In 2022 alone, undocumented immigrants contributed approximately $3.1 billion in state and local taxes. Their removal would not only disrupt families but also cripple essential sectors of the economy.
| sector | Undocumented Workers | impact |
|———————|————————–|—————————————————————————-|
| Restaurants | 42,300 | Loss of chefs, waiters, and food prep workers could disrupt food services. |
| Care workers | 51,200 | Reduced availability of home care, child care, and personal care services. |
| Construction | 48,500 | increased costs and delays in housing projects amid a housing shortage. |
| Agriculture | Majority of workforce | Disruption in food production and supply chains. |
Industries at Risk
The report highlights several industries that would suffer the most:
- Restaurants: With 7,000 chefs, 17,000 cooks, and 9,200 undocumented waiters, the food service industry would face severe labour shortages.
- Care Workers: Over 51,000 undocumented workers, including home care assistants and child care providers, are essential to New York’s care economy.
- Construction: Nearly 50,000 undocumented workers, including carpenters and painters, are critical to addressing the state’s housing crisis.
- Agriculture: More then half of all agricultural workers in the U.S. are immigrants, many of whom are undocumented or seasonal workers.
The Ripple Effect on Northern Cities
the report also warns of the negative impact on northern New York cities, where refugee resettlement agencies play a vital role in population growth and community development. Halting the flow of refugees would not only depopulate these areas but also weaken the institutions that support them.
Voices from the Frontlines
“Immigrants are a vital part of New York,” said David dyssegaard Kallick, director of the Immigration Research Initiative.“The policies proposed by the Trump administration will have a drastic impact on our state. Immigrant stories are already emerging of families being separated, and those separations will have negative consequences for all of us.”
Nathan Gusdorf, director of the Fiscal Policy Institute, echoed this sentiment: “State and municipal leaders must oppose the implementation of deportation policies that could have a devastating impact on New York’s immigrant communities and their economy. These policies could take hundreds of thousands of immigrants from the workforce, causing New Yorkers to lose access to essential services and raising the cost of construction during a historic housing scarcity.”
A Call to Action
The report serves as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of New York’s immigrant communities and its economy. As the Trump administration moves forward with its immigration agenda, the stakes for New York could not be higher.
For more on this developing story, read about the first anti-immigrant raids of Trump, which left 538 detainees and hundreds deported, or how a judge temporarily blocked Trump’s order to prohibit citizenship by birth.
The time to act is now. New York’s leaders must stand against policies that threaten not only the state’s immigrant population but also its economic future.
