Hochul reveals enormous number of undocumented workers as she fears Trump crackdown can destroy the New York economy

Published On:
Hochul reveals enormous number of undocumented workers as she fears Trump crackdown can destroy the New York economy

New York has 470,100 undocumented workers, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration, who is concerned that a crackdown on illegal immigrants will devastate the local economy.

The revelation came as Hochul unveiled a massive $252 billion budget proposal, which would result in approximately 15% of the state’s total workforce being undocumented, or nearly one out of every six employees, as newly returned President Donald Trump has promised to crack down on illegal immigration.

“The potential deportation of undocumented immigrants could further exacerbate the state’s population loss and labor shortages,” according to an economic outlook analysis released with the budget plan.

The Center for Migration Services estimated that 470,100 workers in the Empire State are undocumented, a figure cited in Hochul’s report.

“Most of them work as construction workers, maids/housekeepers, cooks, home and personal care aides, janitors, and delivery drivers, among other occupations,” Hochul told me.

“If workers are forced to leave their jobs, employment in these industries will be significantly disrupted.”

According to the analysis, 70% of construction workers are foreign-born.

“A slowdown in the flow of new immigrants may cause labor shortages and delays in the completion of ongoing construction and negatively impact the available inventory,” according to Hochul’s evaluation.

Trump’s team intends to deport criminal migrants first, and migrants are fleeing the city’s migrant shelters ahead of expected raids by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Hochul’s report also stated that remote work has contributed to a migration of New York residents to lower-cost states.

“The New York City metro area’s high cost of living has contributed to a population decline in the region,” Hochul’s research found.

“The potential deportation of undocumented immigrants could exacerbate the state’s population decline and labor shortages. A long-term population decline remains a significant negative risk to wages and employment.

In contrast, New York City and the state may benefit if New York City’s population loss is less than expected and the immigration crackdown is less restrictive than expected, according to the analysis.

SOURCE

Leave a Comment