Trump's Immigration Crackdown Piles Pressure on US Factories, Workers and Economists Warn

As US President Donald Trump's administration strips millions of immigrants of their legal status, workers at two factories - in Michigan and Kentucky - told the Guardian that industrial giants are grappling with labor shortages.

The US president has moved to revoke protected status for Haiti, affecting an estimated 200 union members next February, while shutting down the Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, Venezuelans (CHNV) Parole Program, which allowed hundreds of thousands to work legally in the country. The administration has also ramped up immigration arrest operations with prospective daily quotas of 3,000 arrests per day.

Key Takeaways:

• Over 125 workers were forced out of their jobs at a GE Appliances plant in Louisville, Kentucky, due to programs cancelled as part of Trump's immigration crackdown.
• GE Appliances adds that it added additional staffing where needed and continues to follow the law.
• Workers at a Kraft-Heinz plant in Holland, Michigan, are being mandated to work overtime, with Tomas Torres, a maintenance mechanic of 13 years, reporting a lack of people on the lines due to workers being forced out of their jobs.
• Torres has been working 12- to 14-hour days, and Kraft Heinz refuted the plant is experiencing labor shortages due to immigration policy changes.
• Economists warn that deporting millions of immigrants from the US could have drastic consequences, including a 3.3 million job loss held by immigrants in the US and 2.6 million US-born employees.
• The Economic Policy Institute estimates 4 million deportations would result in the loss of 3.3 million jobs held by immigrants in the US and 2.6 million US-born employees.
• The American Enterprise Institute found Trump's immigration policies would likely lead to a negative net migration into the US for the first time in decades and decrease US gross domestic product of between 0.3% and 0.4%, or $70.5bn to $94bn in economic output, annually.
• Immigrant workers are being forced out of their jobs, affecting not only themselves but their families as well, as reported by Maria Jose Padmore, a human services assistant for Fairfax County in Virginia.
• Workers and union leaders express concern about the threat of more workers being forced out, as seen in the case of Trump's efforts to revoke protected status for Haiti, which could impact an additional 200 union members next February.

Statistics:

• 4 million deportations could result in the loss of 3.3 million jobs held by immigrants in the US and 2.6 million US-born employees (Economic Policy Institute).
• $70.5bn to $94bn in economic output could be lost annually due to Trump's immigration policies (American Enterprise Institute).
• 125 workers were forced out of their jobs at a GE Appliances plant in Louisville, Kentucky (Guardian).
• 200 union members could be impacted by Trump's efforts to revoke protected status for Haiti next February (Guardian).
• 3,000 daily arrests are being conducted as part of the administration's immigration crackdown (Guardian).
• 125 workers were forced out of their jobs at a GE Appliances plant in Louisville, Kentucky.

Sources:

• Michael Sainato, Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration is piling pressure on US factories. (The Guardian)
• Economic Policy Institute, Deporting 4 million unauthorized immigrants could cost 4 million jobs. (Economic Policy Institute)
• The American Enterprise Institute, The economic case against Trump's immigration policies. (The American Enterprise Institute)