Increased ICE enforcement in 2025 hurt local employment, analysis finds
September 18, 2026 / 2:59 PM EDT / CBS News
TL;DR
- A study found that employment fell in U.S. cities where ICE arrests surged the most in 2025.
- In cities where ICE arrests increased fastest, employment fell 0.4% below its expected trajectory.
- Each ICE arrest in targeted cities was associated with an estimated four lost jobs.
- The employment decline was observed not just among immigrants but also among American workers.
- Increased ICE arrests disrupted businesses by causing workers to fear encountering ICE and withdraw from the labor force.
- This led to labor disruptions, reduced operating hours, delayed expansion, hiring freezes, layoffs, and business closures.
- Rising ICE arrests also reduced employment by sapping consumer demand and spending.
- Other research, including studies from the Wharton School and UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute, supports the negative impact of ICE enforcement on local economies.
- The White House disputes the study's findings, attributing job losses and economic issues to illegal immigration and highlighting the Trump administration's agenda to create jobs for American workers and enforce immigration laws.