Immigration advocacy groups say Donald Trump's pledge to "launch the largest deportation program in American history" could lead to economic problems in the United States.
The American Immigration Council, a non-profit that works with people who have been detained and supports immigration reform, says deporting 13 million illegal immigrants would cause the U.S. economy to shrink between 4.2 and 6.8%.
During the "Great Recession" between the fourth quarter of 2007 and the second quarter of 2009, the Federal Reserve says GDP dropped 4.3%.
"Mass deportation would crater our economy,” Jeremy Robbins, executive director of the American Immigration Council, wrote in a statement. “This isn’t a matter of immigration policy: this is an economic proposal that would cause many major industries to utterly collapse. Farms would not be able to ship produce at the same speed to markets and grocery stores. Prices will skyrocket on goods and services throughout the country. Housing construction will take longer. The ripple effect will be felt in every community.”
The organization's report says the economies of Texas, California and Florida would be most affected. The report says construction and agriculture would lose one in eight workers; hospitality would lose one in 14 workers.
In more specialized trades, 30% of roofers and painters could be deported, and 25% of housekeepers could be deported.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates almost 11 million unauthorized immigrants were living in the United States in 2022, the most recent year statistics were available. The organization says about 1.5 million illegal immigrants were deported during Trump's first term.
"We're going to get the criminals out," Trump said during the rally last month. "I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail."
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