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The United States is facing a historic drop in its workforce following the intensification of immigration policies.
More than one million immigrants have disappeared from the labor market so far in 2025, according to preliminary data from the Census analyzed by the Pew Research Center and cited by the Associated Press (AP).
According to the report, the implementation of mass raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has instilled fear and caused absences in essential sectors of the economy.
Although President Donald Trump insists that the priority is "dangerous criminals," most of those detained have no criminal record, the cited source emphasized.
Amid criticism, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kristi Noem, defended the outcomes of immigration policy in a message shared this Monday on X.
"This Labor Day, the United States is working for Americans again. 100% of new jobs have gone to citizens of the country, and 2.5 million people have returned to work since January. Under Biden, 88% of jobs were for workers born abroad. Meanwhile, the DHS reforms have saved taxpayers more than $13.2 billion," he wrote.
"President Trump and I are putting the American worker first. Happy Labor Day!" he added.
Immigrants make up almost 20% of the workforce in the U.S., with a strong presence in agriculture, construction, and services, AP noted.
In these sectors, absences have left crops unharvested, projects stalled, and employers claiming they cannot find replacements.
The economic impact is evident in states like California and Texas, where agricultural producers report million-dollar losses due to a lack of labor.
"In May, during the season for watermelons and melons, many crops were lost," warned Elizabeth Rodríguez from the National Farmworker Ministry.
Labor analysts, such as Pia Orrenius from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, indicate that immigrants used to contribute at least half of the job growth in the country.
The decrease in immigration, coupled with the tightening of federal policies, is already impacting economic growth.
The situation extends beyond the fields. In construction, metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and Riverside have lost thousands of jobs due to the lack of immigrant workers.
In health care, experts warn that up to 43% of home care aides are immigrants, which could impact millions of American families.
"The closing of the door to immigrants not only weakens the economy, but also compromises the ability to serve the population," warned Arnulfo De La Cruz, president of the SEIU 2015 union in California.
Since Donald Trump's arrival at the White House for his second term and Kristi Noem's swearing-in as Secretary of Homeland Security, the United States has experienced an unprecedented decline in its immigrant population, particularly among non-citizens and migrants without legal status.
"In less than 200 days, 1.6 million illegal immigrants have left the United States. This means safer streets, savings for taxpayers, less pressure on schools and hospitals, and better job opportunities for Americans," Noem wrote last August on her official X account.
In March, Trump celebrated that wage gains for workers born in the United States surpassed those of migrant and foreign workers for the first time in 15 months.
According to the data at that time, in January, employment for workers born in the U.S. increased by 284,000, while foreign workers experienced a decline of 87,000 jobs.
Impact of immigration policies on the U.S. workforce.
How have immigration raids affected the U.S. labor force in 2025?
More than one million immigrants have disappeared from the labor market in 2025, due to the intensification of immigration policies and massive raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This has led to a labor shortage in essential sectors such as agriculture, construction, and services, negatively impacting the economy of states like California and Texas.
Which economic sectors have been most affected by the decrease in immigrant workers?
The sectors most affected by the decrease in immigrant workers are agriculture, construction, and services. In agriculture, unharvested crops are being reported, while in construction, metropolitan areas like Los Angeles have lost thousands of jobs. Additionally, in the healthcare sector, up to 43% of home care aides are immigrants, which could impact millions of American families.
What is the overall economic impact of the decrease in immigrants in the U.S.?
The decrease in immigrants is impacting the economic growth of the United States. Immigrants made up almost 20% of the workforce, and their absence has led to a depletion of essential productive sectors, which could result in a significant decline in the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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