Industry groups ranging from construction to agriculture are raising concerns with the Trump administration over its ongoing immigration crackdown, arguing it is undercutting President Donald Trump’s agenda and weakening the economy.

Immigration Enforcement and Labor Shortages

Worker shortages have been a years-long problem for multiple industries, but the recent abrupt push to end deportation protections for 1.3 million people who had been legally working in the US and the aggressive immigration enforcement push nationwide are exacerbating an already challenging issue, industry representatives say.

Those industry groups — which are generally supportive of other parts of Trump’s economic agenda — are taking their immigration concerns directly to the administration, including the departments of Homeland Security, Labor, and Agriculture, as well as the White House.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is already under fire from some corners of the president’s base for appearing too soft on immigration. Mullin has called for changes to employment visa programs to address worker shortages, sparking fierce pushback from influential MAGA voices.

The construction industry is grappling with multiple immigration enforcement actions, including the expiration of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allows beneficiaries to legally live and work in the US. The TPS push has been particularly unsettling for business and the economy, according to Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.

Industry groups are not asking for amnesty for illegal immigrants, but rather a solution to the labor shortages that are affecting their industries. They argue that the administration’s approach to immigration is undercutting the president’s economic agenda and weakening the economy.

Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.