Trump’s Immigration Crackdown Puts Undocumented Construction Workers in Crisis
As the Trump administration doubles down on its immigration crackdown, undocumented workers in the construction industry say they’re facing an even tougher reality — with raids and arrests giving some contractors a green light to slash wages and pile on more work.
Rogelio, a skilled tile setter in Tucson, Arizona, knows this all too well. He works with different contractors, is undocumented, and asked not to use his full name. Since Donald Trump returned to power in January, he says contractors have cut pay by 30–40%, and he’s not alone. “They know most of us don’t have Social Security numbers, so they take advantage,” Rogelio told The Guardian. “It’s more work, less pay. We have no choice.”
Rogelio said he and others are barely surviving — struggling with rent, food, and bills. “We’re in survival mode,” he said. “We wake up and check the news just to see if it’s safe to go to work.”
With foreign-born workers making up about 34% of the U.S. construction workforce — around 2.9 million people — some industry leaders are calling on the Trump administration to rethink its hardline immigration policies. Buddy Hughes, chair of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), emphasized, “Mass deportation isn’t the answer. We need secure borders, but we also need a workforce.”
Meanwhile, workers’ rights advocates say the crackdown is giving unscrupulous subcontractors a chance to exploit undocumented laborers even more. “Some of them are not paying fair wages or not paying at all,” said Laura Becerra from the Workers Defense Project in Texas. “And because of fear, most workers won’t report it — they risk being fired or deported.”
The government’s aggressive push continues, with ICE agents targeting even non-criminal immigrants. “It’s an attack on families who are already struggling,” Becerra said. “They’re doing the jobs no one else wants — for very little pay.”
In Tucson, undocumented workers are even avoiding freeways, Rogelio explained. “That’s where police and Border Patrol hang out. They stop us just for looking Hispanic. We live day-by-day, not knowing what’s next.”
Some areas, Rogelio said, are more tolerable. “In a few places, you can work without hassle. But in others, there’s racism. They want our labor, but they don’t want us.” Rogelio, who has two American-born children, added, “I’m not asking for benefits. I’m here to work and support my family.”
Across the country, the pressure on undocumented workers is mounting. Savannah Palmira, a union organizer with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 5, said the threat of raids is making it harder to organize for better conditions.
Earlier this year, a roofing company in Washington was reportedly raided by ICE after workers filed safety complaints. Now, fear of retaliation is spreading fast. “It’s become a tactic,” Palmira said. “Bad contractors are using ICE to silence workers. It’s stripping us of our ability to hold them accountable.”
One undocumented worker in Washington state, speaking anonymously, said some coworkers are seriously considering returning to their home countries. “My last company exploited us at every level — denied overtime, refused breaks, even discouraged injured workers from seeking medical help.”
“They tell you: ‘You’re undocumented, so take $10 an hour or we’ll call ICE,’” he said.
In Washington, immigrants make up 25% of the construction trades workforce. Yet despite a labor shortage and booming housing demand, many workers remain under threat. A spokesperson from the Building Industry Association of Washington acknowledged this, saying, “We need all the skilled labor we can get.” The organization has offered legal hiring guidance and voiced support for immigration reforms that allow law-abiding undocumented workers a path to citizenship.
But not everyone is talking. The Arizona Builders Alliance declined to comment on multiple requests.
Nationally, the construction industry has warned that immigration raids are worsening the worker shortage already plaguing the sector. When asked about contractors abusing workers amid the enforcement surge, the NAHB responded with a broader statement about labor needs.
“With over 200,000 workers still needed in construction, any disruption will drive up housing costs, limit supply, and deepen the affordability crisis,” Hughes said. He urged Congress to invest in education and training for the trades, and to back smart immigration policies — including temporary visa programs and market-based systems that match labor demand.