As federal immigration enforcement ramps up under the Trump administration, leaders in the construction industry are sounding alarms about the potential consequences for one of the nation’s most labor-dependent sectors. With recent workplace raids in California—including at Home Depot parking lots and across Los Angeles’ fashion district—concerns are growing that a broader crackdown could lead to project delays, labor shortages, and economic instability.

"You're going to see more work site enforcement than you've ever seen in the history of this nation," warned Tom Homan, the White House’s immigration czar, during a recent press briefing. "We're going to flood the zone."

The effects of such enforcement could be especially devastating to construction, an industry long dependent on immigrant labor—many of whom lack legal documentation. The Pew Research Center reported that in 2017, roughly 12% of construction workers were unauthorized immigrants. The Center for American Progress estimates that among construction laborers, 23% lack legal status.

George Carrillo, co-founder and CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council, addressed the issue during an interview with NPR’s Morning Edition as protests erupted in Los Angeles and the president ordered Marines and National Guard troops into the area.

"The people that you see building our homes, the ones that are paving the roads and our bridges, 50% of that skilled workforce is Hispanics," said Carrillo, a Marine Corps veteran and former law enforcement officer.

Carrillo emphasized the magnitude of the risk, estimating that between 700,000 to 1 million undocumented workers are employed in construction. “What people really need to understand is we have a workforce shortage in this country, period,” he said. “Now, if you take out about a million Hispanics that are undocumented, it would devastate the construction industry, and not just that. Critical infrastructure, clean drinking water, sewage. Who's going to build our homes? We're about 4.5 million homes behind. All roads lead to construction. If we fail, the broader economy and our way of life dramatically suffers.”

When asked whether the effects were being felt yet, Carrillo responded, “So it's in the data, because we know we don't have the workforce. We know that we're behind. We know that we're struggling with building homes right now. Now, when we think about the immigration crackdowns, it's not making things any better. People aren't showing up to work.”

He pointed to a recent raid in Tallahassee that pulled about 100 workers off a construction job site as a case in point. “That is going to devastate that project,” he said.

Addressing the broader labor question, Carrillo challenged the notion that undocumented workers are taking jobs from Americans. “Well, I think that if Americans really wanted to do the work, then they would be doing it. And the other thing is, too, we have a historical, low unemployment rate. So we don't have enough people in this country to do what we need to do.”

As a former Marine and police officer, Carrillo urged the administration to rethink its tactics. “If you really want to go after criminals, then go after criminals. But right now, the administration is going about it all wrong. Basically right now, what it's doing is that, if you're brown in America, you have to prove your status.”

He added, “I've never had to prove my status. I don't even know what that means. Like, how do I, as an American citizen, as a veteran, as a former police officer, how do I prove that I'm an American citizen?”

Carrillo advocates for a constructive policy solution. “Let’s talk about a work visa for construction workers that can stay here. You know, for undocumented individuals, why don't we build a work visa, with restitution, make them taxpayers, help out the construction industry? I believe that's a win for everyone.”

He also shared the personal toll the climate of fear is taking. “Yeah, I've had that conversation with my family quite a few times. I carry my passport with me at all times, if I'm leaving the house now,” he said. “I have good explanations for the tattoos that I have on my body, because they can be viewed as gang tattoos, maybe. On one arm, I've got my police badge on there. On the other arm, I have a United States Marine Corps thing on there. And I want to make sure that they understand that that's me. That identifies me. That does not identify a gang.”

Carrillo criticized the deployment of Marines and National Guard troops in Los Angeles. “I feel really bad for them right now, because, as a Marine myself, this is not what we're designed for. Right now, here in the United States, we're not in wartime. The local law enforcement can handle what's going on in California.”

“There’s no reason to send these very young, inexperienced Marines into this type of setting, when they're not trained for that type of setting,” he added. “The rules of engagement have not been clear from [the Department of Justice] or from the president. So, we are really putting our Marines in a very dangerous place in this country, because they're being ordered to do so, in a very unfair, unlawful way by the president.”

Originally reported by Taylor Haney in NPR.