Texas Lawmaker Urges Trump to Ease Immigration Crackdown Citing Harm to Small Businesses

Int'l Business Times

16 hours ago

Amid mass immigration raids across the United States, a Texas congressman is calling on President Donald Trump to support struggling businesses he says are suffering under the administration's immigration enforcement policies.
According to Border Report , U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, a Democrat from Texas, sent a letter to Trump urging executive action to help small businesses stay afloat. He argues that raids—like those recently seen in Los Angeles—are leaving sectors such as agriculture, construction, and hospitality without enough workers to operate.
"Like you, I am a strong supporter of legal migration and the apprehension of criminals, which is why I voted in support of legislation like the Laken Riley Act," Gonzalez wrote. "However, American businesses are being harmed by what you described as a 'very aggressive policy.' This country is heavily reliant on an undocumented workforce in industries like construction, agriculture, and hospitality."
In the letter, Gonzalez asked Trump to issue an executive order allowing small businesses to sponsor undocumented migrants who have lived in the United States for at least three years and have no criminal record.
"This executive order would provide migrants temporary lawful status on a yearly basis and allow them to continue working without fear of deportation," he wrote.
Gonzalez warned that continued aggressive enforcement could result in the removal of an estimated 1.5 million construction workers, 1 million hospitality workers, and hundreds of thousands more across the manufacturing, transportation, and agriculture sectors.
He also condemned ongoing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Texas—particularly in the Rio Grande Valley—as "disgraceful and inhumane."
"I am shocked by some of the visuals I see on TV and social media—it's a very aggressive enforcement," Gonzalez said. "I don't think anybody has ever seen anything like this in our lifetime. It's shameful for this administration to conduct itself in this way."
Gonzalez added that the raids are instilling fear in undocumented communities, causing many not to show up for work and further straining local economies.
"It's hurting our agriculture sector, our construction sector in Texas," he said. "People aren't showing up to jobs. This is putting pressure on banks that have made construction loans with deadlines, on projects that now can't be completed."
Gonzalez's concerns are echoed in a recent study by the University of California, Merced, which warned that mass deportations could severely damage California's economy. The report estimated that removing the state's undocumented population would lead to a $275 billion economic hit and a $23 billion annual loss in local, state and federal tax revenue.
As the second-largest immigrant labor force in the country behind California, Texas would face a similar economic impact. A FWD.us analysis released earlier this year found that immigrants make up nearly a quarter of Texas's labor force—more than 3.7 million workers.
Originally published on Latin Times Donald trump Immigration United States