Increased ICE Enforcement Fails to Benefit US Workers, Study Shows

A new study finds that intensified ICE operations under Trump's administration did not yield expected economic benefits for US-born workers. Instead, unemployment rose, and wage growth stagnated, with a significant decrease in employment rates among immigrants without an uplift for native workers.

A recent study has highlighted the lack of economic gains for US natives from intensified Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activities under the Trump administration. Despite campaign promises for a robust labor market, unemployment increased, and wage growth stalled during this period.

Data from late 2023 to 2025 underscores a significant decline in employment among likely undocumented workers in areas with more aggressive ICE enforcement. Fear of deportation has deterred many workers, particularly in sectors like agriculture and construction. This 'chilling effect' extended beyond immigrants, affecting consumer spending and economic activity in those regions.

Analysts have observed that the expectation of freeing up jobs for Americans failed to materialize. Instead, employment for US-born workers also dropped, and no corresponding wage increases emerged. The findings contradict the notion that US-born and foreign-born workers compete directly, suggesting instead that their roles are often complementary.