Donald Trump's migration policies are alarming entire sectors of the US economy. Agriculture, construction, restaurants, and hospitality - all industries heavily dependent on immigrant labor - are at risk of collapse. Trump's tough stance, with the support of Stephen Miller and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, makes no distinctions: mass deportations and no more amnesties.
The alternative (?)
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins tried to reassure employers: "You have the workers, they are Medicaid beneficiaries." With a new law, those who receive public health insurance will have to work mandatory to maintain it. A theoretical pool of 34 million Americans. But the idea is unrealistic: among them are children, elderly, disabled or people who already work in precarious conditions.
Americans don't want to do those jobs
Even where unemployment is high, US citizens refuse agricultural jobs. In North Carolina, out of 6,500 positions offered in 2011, fewer than 300 Americans applied. Almost no one stayed more than a few weeks. The reality is that these are hard, poorly paid, and non-automatable jobs that no one wants to do anymore.
Fewer immigrants = less work for everyone
A study by the Economic Policy Institute estimates that if Trump were to deport one million immigrants per year, almost 6 million jobs would be lost, even for US citizens. Immigrants, in fact, do not take away jobs, but create them, opening businesses and consuming goods and services.
More expensive food and production fleeing
Without immigrant labor, agricultural production would decrease and food prices would rise. Some companies could relocate, exacerbating the effects of the ongoing trade war. The stated goal of "America first" risks turning into an economic and social boomerang.
The Nebraska case: incentives or illusions?
In North Platte, Sustainable Beef has tried another approach: better salaries ($22 per hour), no night shifts, and modern facilities to attract local workers. But the response is lukewarm. Young people prefer to earn less in less physically demanding jobs.
Moral: without immigrants, the US stops
Trump may change strategy under pressure from employers, but it is now clear: there is no US economy without immigration. The idea of a 100% American workforce is a dangerous illusion that risks leaving fields empty, plates half full, and accounts in the red.
