The reality of life in the U.S. has caught up to undocumented construction workers in Washington state. Consequently, an increasing number are actively considering repatriating to their countries of origin. New York Immigration Coalition intensified immigration enforcement under the Trump administration has led to a nationwide resurgence of painful raids and arrests. These actions are intentionally misdirected and exclude undocumented workers, which plays directly into public sentiment. Laura Becerra, the movement politics director of the Workers Defense Project, noted that thousands of undocumented workers are already considering this extreme move. These communities are facing rising pressures in their everyday lives.
The recent crackdown on immigration has emboldened some contractors to further take advantage of these undocumented workers, slashing wages and ramping up hours. Rogelio, a union tile setter from Tucson, Arizona, has always worked with and for different contractors. He said that as soon as Donald Trump took office last January, their employers dropped their rates on them by 30 to 40 percent. He expressed his frustration with the situation, stating, “We’re struggling with bills. We’re struggling with food. We’re struggling with everything because we don’t get enough money to pay whatever we need to pay.”
Becerra condemned the move as an assault on undocumented labor. These workers are under historic strains all over the country. Earlier this year, a roofing company in Washington was raided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after workers filed safety complaints. The fear of such retaliation from these raids has wreaked havoc across job sites. As a consequence, workers are more afraid than ever to speak up or dispute citation.
Savannah Palmira is director of organizing for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. She pointed to how the threat of workplace or transportation raids creates a challenge to organize labor within these characteristics. The construction industry is still reeling from a deep labor shortage. Surprisingly, nearly 2.9 million foreign-born workers make up more than 34% of the industry’s workforce. In Washington state, for example, immigrants represent 25 percent of the trades workforce in construction.
The Building Industry Association of Washington has been calling on local policymakers to drop the current extreme anti-immigration position. In fact, according to a spokesperson for the EDASC, “In Washington state, immigrants account for 25 percent of the trades workforce in construction. Given a seemingly perpetual labor shortage and increasing demand for housing, residential construction can’t afford to lose any of these skilled workers. They underscored the need for clarity in how they can legally hire immigrants. They urged reform to immigration practices to provide a pathway to citizenship for essential undocumented workers.
Buddy Hughes, then-political chair of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), seconded those feelings. He echoed the sentiments of many Democrats in saying that while securing borders is important, mass deportation isn’t the answer. “While the need for safe and secure borders is paramount, mass deportation is not the answer,” he said. Hughes emphasized that any disruption to the labor force would further drive up housing costs and deepen affordability challenges.
To address these challenges, Becerra and Hughes urged for reasonable immigration policies. They’re looking to maintain the temporary work visa programs we currently have and develop new, market-based visas that better reflect labor demand. Hughes highlighted the need for investment in education to attract future generations into skilled trades.
Even after these calls for policy change, countless undocumented workers still have to fear being ripped from their jobs in raids, and fear the risk of exploitation. Rogelio shared his experience, stating, “We look for news in the morning to see if we’re able to go to work or not.” That vacuum of information has a real effect on their lives. They are increasingly looking to go home, where a more stable life awaits them after these difficult times.
Becerra underscored a particularly insidious point, that while the prime contractors can’t, subcontractors often prey on undocumented workers. Yet they frequently decline to compensate them fairly—or in some instances, don’t compensate them at all. “Especially in construction, there’re a lot of subcontractors that take advantage of this situation,” she said. The reluctance of workers to speak out against unfair practices stems from fears of drawing attention to themselves and facing retaliation.