In Myers Park, North Carolina, Carlos, a Venezuelan immigrant with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), works tirelessly to renovate a patio and install a new jacuzzi. However, with President Trump recently revoking TPS for Venezuelans, his future remains uncertain. “One tries to get to the workplace that one does every day, hoping to get through the day and, well, come back home with God’s will and not be stopped by ICE,” Carlos says.

Carlos moved to the U.S. to provide a better life for his family, including a nephew with special needs. “I came to the United States because of him,” Carlos explains. “Here I am, trying to give a better quality of life to everyone around me.”

His co-worker, Olexi, who is also a Venezuelan immigrant on humanitarian parole, shares the fear circulating in the construction industry. “One cannot escape hearing the rumors in the street,” Olexi says. “The situations in different parts of the country are a strong blow because the construction industry is mostly moved by the hand of immigrants.”

President Trump’s immigration policies, including threats of mass deportations, have sparked concern. Immigrants make up about 30% of the U.S. construction workforce, with North Carolina seeing roughly a quarter of workers from immigrant backgrounds. “It’s been a little rough to find those guys because nobody’s willing to get in the cars and drive — nobody feels safe,” says Carlos Calzadilla, President of SunSouth Carolinas.

The company, which specializes in outdoor living spaces in the Charlotte area, has had to ask employees to work overtime due to staffing shortages. “As a construction company, we try to plan everything six months, one year, or even two years,” Calzadilla says. “It gets super hard for us to plan projects if we’re not going to have employees to do so.”

CT Wilson Construction Company in Durham also faces similar challenges. “We have a tough time finding employees,” says Charlie Wilson, the company’s president. “We are seeing a lot of general fear amongst all of our employees.”

Wilson warns that Trump’s immigration policies could have lasting economic impacts. “Sixty to 70% of the people on one of our job sites at any given day are Hispanic immigrants,” he states. “Our economy is not going to grow unless we have the workforce to do the work.”

While 20% of construction workers nationwide are undocumented, Trump’s proposed deportations could also target workers with temporary statuses, such as TPS or DACA recipients. “If the deportations actually happen, not only are you going to get higher no-show rates, but you’re going to have more and more firms that don’t have enough people to bid on construction projects,” says Brian Turmail from the Associated General Contractors of America.

The organization is pushing for immigration reform that secures borders while offering legal pathways for undocumented workers in construction. “If they’ve been here, they’ve been putting their boots on every morning, they’re just working hard," Turmail says. "They want to be part of the American dream. Let’s give them an earned path to legal status.”

In 2021, North Carolina’s construction sector contributed over $28 billion to the state’s GDP, with construction workers earning an average of $22 per hour. Olexi argues that providing a legal pathway for immigrant workers, including tax-paying contributions, would benefit the U.S. economy. “Look for a way to give legal status to the immigrant workforce,” he says. “Why? Because that allows for more income that is beneficial for the United States with respect to taxes.”

As uncertainty lingers, Carlos and Olexi continue working hard to support their families both in the U.S. and abroad, amid an industry facing its own challenges.

Originally reported by Julian Berger in WUNC BBC World News.