NEW YORK, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Nearly 14 percent of people employed in the U.S. construction industry are undocumented, and removing that labor would disrupt all forms of construction across the nation, from homes to businesses to basic infrastructure, according to the American Immigration Council.
Some construction workers are using fake IDs, which are sold freely online and at flea markets, while some construction companies use subcontractors to insulate themselves from accountability, Bloomberg News on Tuesday cited industry experts in its report about the situation.
"Construction is already struggling to find enough workers. Tightening the labor supply further could mean project delays and higher costs, which could exacerbate high rents and housing shortages," it noted.
The sector shudders, fearing President-elect Donald Trump follows through with the hardline immigration policy he promised, in no uncertain terms, during his campaign. Trump has pledged to carry out workplace raids and mass deportations to counter what he has called "the greatest invasion in history," and he's bringing back a staunch loyalist, Thomas Homan, to serve as his "border czar."
"The policies are framed as a tool to tip the scales back in American workers' favor. But undocumented workers play a pivotal role in many industries across the country," added the report.
According to the American Immigration Council, mass deportation would hurt several key U.S. industries that rely heavily on undocumented workers, including the construction, agriculture and hospitality industries. ■