Employment slipped across 86 cities as ICE arrests increased, report says
Synopsis
A Brookings Institution study estimates that increased immigration enforcement was associated with 668,000 job losses across 86 metropolitan areas. The report found employment declines exceeded the number of additional ICE arrests and were particularly visible in construction, hospitality, and food-service industries facing ongoing workforce pressures.
A Brookings report found increased immigration enforcement was associated with 668,000 job losses, with construction and hospitality among the sectors showing the largest employment declines.
Key Highlights
- Brookings linked increased immigration enforcement to roughly 668,000 lost jobs.
- Study covered 86 metropolitan areas with the largest rise in ICE arrests.
- Employment fell 0.73% below expected levels in affected cities.
- Construction, hospitality, and food services recorded notable job declines.
- Researchers found impacts extended beyond workers directly affected by arrests.
Immigration enforcement positively correlated with an estimated 668,000 lost jobs in major metros, according to a new report by the Brookings Institution, further fueling a debate over access to the workforce in certain parts of the economy.
The report, The Employment Effects of Immigration Enforcement, analyzed 86 metros with the highest number of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests in the first half of 2025. The number of researchers in those cities was about 668,000 less than expected, or 0.73% below.
Beyond the Arrest Numbers
The sources show that the number of prisoners arrested by the ICE in the 42 cities included in the study was around 52,000. But the loss of jobs was significantly bigger than the number of arrests, indicating more widespread impacts on the local labour market.
Employment was approximately 1.48% lower than anticipated trends in the 51 metros with at least six months of data. The impacts were not limited to people who were explicitly targeted by enforcement, researchers said.
Pressure on Key Industries
Construction, accommodation, and food-service were the industries with the biggest drops in employment, all of which are highly dependent on immigrants.
The results come as businesses around a number of high-tech economies keep saying they do not have enough workers for construction, healthcare, logistics, hospitality and agriculture. Labor market issues have been present in many developed economies since the pandemic, as evidenced by data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and national labor agencies.
Recent US labour statistics show that almost 20% of the workforce is foreign-born. They also account for substantial numbers in employment in construction, transportation, hospitality, and healthcare support occupations.
Economic Debate Returns to the Forefront
The analysis suggests broader labor-market implications of more immigration enforcement, said Marcela Escobari, one of the report's authors.
The Brookings study employed information on arrest for ICE from the Deportation Data Project combined with federal employment data to assess labor outcomes in metro areas. The results contribute to an emerging literature on the impact of immigration policy on employment and job creation, as well as on labor supply.
FAQs
Q1. How many jobs were linked to the rise in immigration enforcement?
The Brookings report estimated employment fell by about 668,000 jobs across affected metropolitan areas.
Q2. Which industries saw the biggest employment impact?
Construction, accommodation, and food-service sectors recorded some of the largest declines.
Q3. Why is the report drawing attention now?
The findings come as businesses continue to face labor shortages across construction, hospitality, healthcare, and logistics sectors.
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Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
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