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Deporting millions of immigrants would shock the US economy, increasing housing, food and other prices
In 2025, the Trump administration plans mass deportations, with significant economic risks, including rising food and housing costs, due to reliance on immigrant workers in key industries.
Francisco I. Pedraza, Arizona State University; Jason L. Morín, California State University, Northridge, and Loren Collingwood, University of New Mexico
One of President Donald Trump’s major promises during the 2024 presidential campaign was to launch mass deportations of immigrants living in the U.S. without legal authorization.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has said that, since January 2025, it is detaining and planning to deport 600 to 1,100 immigrants a day. That marks an increase from the average 282 immigration arrests that happened each day in September 2024 under the Biden administration.
The current trend would place the Trump administration on track to apprehend 25,000 immigrants in Trump’s first month in office. On an annual basis, this is about 300,000 – far from the “millions and millions” of immigrants Trump promised to deport.
A lack of funding, immigration officers, immigration detention centers and other resources has reportedly impeded the administration’s deportation work.
The Trump administration is seeking US$175 billion from Congress to use for the next four years on immigration enforcement, Axios reported on Feb. 11, 2025.
If Trump does make good on his promise of mass deportations, our research shows that removing millions of immigrants would be costly for everyone in the U.S., including American citizens and businesses.
Food costs will increase
One important factor is that mass deportations would weaken key industries in the U.S. that rely on immigrant workers, including those living in the U.S. illegally.
Overall, immigrants without legal authorization make up about 5% of the total U.S. workforce.
But that overall percentage doesn’t reflect these immigrants’ concentrated presence within various industries. Approximately half of U.S. farmworkers are living in the country without legal authorization, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Some of these immigrant farmworkers are skilled supervisors who make decisions about planting and harvesting. Others know how to use and maintain tractors, loaders, diggers, rakers, fertilizer sprayers, irrigation systems, and other machines crucial to farm operations.
If those workers were to be suddenly removed from the country, Americans would see an increase in food costs, including what they spend on groceries and at restaurants.
With fewer available workers to pick fruits and vegetables and prepare the food for shipment and distribution, the domestic production of food could decrease, leading to higher costs and more imports.
National estimates of the restaurant and food preparation workforce, meanwhile, indicate that between 10% and 15% of those workers are immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.
Past state-level immigration enforcement policies offer an idea of what could happen at the national level if Trump were to carry out widespread deportations.
For example, a 2011 Alabama law called HB-56 directed local police officers to investigate the immigration status of drivers stopped for speeding. It also prohibited landlords from renting properties to immigrants who do not have legal authorization to work or live in the country. That law and its resulting effects prompted some Alabama-based immigrant workers to leave the state following workplace raids.
Their departure wound up costing the state an estimated $2.3 billion to $10.8 billion loss in Alabama’s annual gross domestic product due to the loss of workers and economic output.
Other industries that rely on immigrants
Part of the challenge of mass deportations for industries like construction, nearly a quarter of whose workers are living without legal authorization, is that their workforce is highly skilled and not easily replaced. Immigrant workers are particularly involved in home construction and specialize in such tasks as ceiling and flooring installation as well as roofing and drywall work.
Fewer available workers would mean slower home construction, which in turn would make housing more expensive, further compounding existing problems of housing supply and affordability.
Shocks from deportations would also slow commercial and public infrastructure construction. Six construction workers, for example, died in April 2024 in the sudden collapse of the Baltimore Key Bridge in Maryland. All of them were Latino immigrants living in the U.S. without legal documentation.
Examining the arguments
Trump administration officials and other politicians have argued that deporting large numbers of immigrants would help the country save money, since fewer people will use federal and state funds by attending public schools or receiving temporary shelter.
Trump said in November 2024 that there is “no price tag” for large-scale deportations.
“It’s not a question of price tag,” Trump said. “We have no choice. When people have killed and murdered, when drug lords have destroyed countries, and now they’re going to go back to those countries because they’re not staying here,” Trump told NBC News.
Trump and his supporters also argue that deporting immigrants would mean more jobs for American workers.
But there is compelling evidence to the contrary.
First, immigrants are filling labor shortages and doing jobs that many Americans don’t want to do, ones that might be unsafe or poorly paid.
Even if Americans were willing to do those jobs, there simply aren’t enough Americans in the workforce to fill existing labor vacuums, let alone an enlarged one following deportations.
Second, for employers, having fewer workers in the country translates into higher wages, which in turn means less capital to adapt and grow. For businesses based on consumer debt – think mortgages, car loans and credit cards – deportations would disrupt the financial sector by removing responsible borrowers who make consistent payments.
Third, immigrants living without legal documentation in the U.S. pay more than $96 billion in federal, state and local taxes per year and consume fewer public benefits than citizens.
Immigrants without legal authorization are not eligible for Social Security benefits and can’t enroll in Medicare or many other safety net programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The bottom line
In other words, people who are living and working in the U.S. without legal authorization are helping to pay, through taxes, the costs of caring for Americans as they age and begin to draw on the nation’s retirement and health care programs.
The burden from recent inflation notwithstanding, an economy supported by immigrants living illegally in the U.S. protects Americans.
The U.S. would be unable to dodge the economic shocks and high costs that mass deportations would bring about.
Francisco I. Pedraza, Professor of political scinece, Arizona State University; Jason L. Morín, Professor of Political Science, California State University, Northridge, and Loren Collingwood, Associate Professor of political science, University of New Mexico
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Blog
The Dodger Gondola Project: A High-Flying Transit Idea Facing Heavy Headwinds
The Dodger Gondola Project, a proposed aerial transit line between Union Station and Dodger Stadium, faces major political, legal, and community opposition in 2025. Here’s where the controversial project stands now.
Dodger Gondola Project Faces Major Setbacks as L.A. Leaders and Residents Push Back
For years, the Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit (LA ART) — better known as the Dodger Gondola Project — has been pitched as a bold, futuristic connection between Union Station and Dodger Stadium, whisking riders above traffic in a six-minute aerial trip. Supporters call it L.A.’s chance to build a cleaner, faster, iconic transit link. But as 2025 winds toward its close, the project faces more turbulence than ever.
A Quick Refresher: What the Gondola Would Be
The proposed gondola line would travel about 1.2 miles, with stations at Union Station, a stop near L.A. State Historic Park, and Dodger Stadium. Private backers connected to former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt have promoted it as a zero-emission way to move more than 5,000 passengers per hour on game days — and potentially daily for tourists, residents, and park visitors.
Why the Dream Is Stalling
In November 2025, the Los Angeles City Council voted 12–1 to formally oppose the project, urging Metro to abandon it. While the vote isn’t legally binding, it signaled a major political shift. Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez, who introduced the resolution, cited environmental and community concerns — especially the impact on Chinatown, Solano Canyon, and L.A. State Historic Park.
A California Court of Appeals ruling earlier in the year also struck down Metro’s original environmental review, forcing a supplemental EIR that reopened debates about tree removal, tower placement, noise, and neighborhood impacts. The city has additionally ordered a comprehensive traffic study, pausing key permits until it’s complete.
Communities Speak Out
Local opposition has been strong and well-organized. Residents warn the gondola would remove mature trees, alter the character of the State Historic Park, and intrude over communities that have already shouldered decades of infrastructure burdens. Advocacy groups say the project favors private interests over public need, pointing to the lack of a clear long-term funding or maintenance plan.
Not Dead — But Deeply Uncertain
Despite mounting challenges, the gondola isn’t entirely grounded. Metro is still reviewing public comments on the supplemental environmental report, and state lawmakers are debating legislation that could streamline some project requirements. Whether those efforts succeed — or whether political pressure ultimately stalls the gondola indefinitely — remains to be seen.
The Big Picture
The Dodger Gondola Project sits at the intersection of transit innovation, environmental justice, and the future of Los Angeles mobility. For supporters, it represents a chance to modernize travel to one of the nation’s most visited stadiums. For opponents, it’s an unnecessary experiment that risks community space and public resources.
Either way, the next year will be pivotal — and L.A.’s debate over the gondola is far from over.
Sources and links for further information
Associated Press: “Los Angeles officials seek to halt proposed Dodger Stadium gondola” — apnews.com
Los Angeles Times: “Los Angeles City Council votes 12-1 to urge Metro to halt Dodgers gondola project” — latimes.com
NBC Los Angeles: “Dodger Stadium gondola should be a no-go, LA City Council says” — nbclosangeles.com
PR Newswire (project press release): “LA ART Gondola Project Takes Next Step Forward … with Release of Draft Supplemental Environmental Report” — prnewswire.com
LAist: “Controversial Dodger Stadium gondola project gets new environmental report. Here’s how you can weigh in” — laist.com
Official Metro page: “Los Angeles Aerial Rapid Transit (LA ART)” — metro.net
Site for public comment: “Stop The Gondola – Public Comment” — stopthegondola.org
CEQA Notice of Availability: “Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report – LA ART Project” — ceqanet.lci.ca.gov
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astronomy
Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Surprises Astronomers with Unusual Green Glow and Solar-Pointing Jets
Astronomers are studying interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, a rare green-glowing visitor with solar-pointing jets and a high carbon dioxide ratio, offering new insights into how comets form beyond our Solar System.
A blazing interstellar object streaks across the night sky as a telescope looks on, highlighting the growing mystery surrounding 3I/ATLAS.
Astronomers are keeping a close eye on 3I/ATLAS, the third known interstellar comet to pass through our Solar System — and it’s turning out to be one of the most intriguing cosmic visitors yet. New observations reveal that the comet glows a faint green hue and displays several active jets, including one that oddly points toward the Sun, forming a rare “anti-tail” structure.
According to data from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, 3I/ATLAS contains an unusually high ratio of carbon dioxide to water vapor, indicating it may have formed in a much colder and more distant environment than our Solar System. Currently drifting through the constellation Virgo, the comet continues to brighten rapidly as it nears its closest approach to Earth in December 2025, though it will remain safely millions of miles away. Scientists say studying 3I/ATLAS could offer valuable clues about how comets form around other stars — and what materials might exist beyond our solar neighborhood.
(Sources: Live Science, Orbital Today, NASA Science)
Sinking Cities: Why Parts of Phoenix—and Much of Urban America—Are Slowly Dropping
Sinking Cities: Why Parts of Phoenix—and Much of Urban America—Are Slowly Dropping
https://stmdailynews.com/science/
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Easy and Delicious Sides to Spruce Up Holiday Weeknights
Holiday Weeknights: During the holiday season, quick and delicious side dishes can enhance weeknight meals. Cheesy Baked Little Potatoes and Goat Cheese and Thyme Mashed Potatoes are easy to prepare, nutritious, and add festive cheer to family dinners while saving time in the kitchen.
Last Updated on November 14, 2025 by Daily News Staff
Easy and Delicious Sides to Spruce Up Holiday Weeknights
(Family Features) Holiday feasts may get a lot of attention, but there’s no reason to overlook regular weeknight meals – or save your favorite sides for the main event – during the busy holiday season. These easy, go-to sides can spruce up your dinner routine, even on hectic weeknights.
Try these Cheesy Baked Little Potatoes for an easy, delicious side that brings a little holiday happiness to regular family mealtimes. Halved Little Potatoes are seasoned and roasted to perfection, creating a crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside dish. Perfect for a weeknight dinner during this busy season, it’s a versatile, easy-to-prepare complement to an array of main courses.
Mashed potatoes are a familiar sight at the table this time of year, but you can spruce them up with these Goat Cheese and Thyme Mashed Potatoes. A classic dish that’s quick and easy to prepare, they make getting dinner on the table a breeze and bring a little calm during an otherwise busy season.
Sustainably grown on family farms, Little Potatoes from The Little Potato Company simplify weekday mealtimes during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. They come pre-washed, require no peeling and are small enough they don’t need to be cut, allowing for less time in the kitchen and more time at the table enjoying moments with family and friends.
Plus, they’re a fresh whole food packed with nutrients you can feel good about serving – balancing the rich, decadent indulgences of the holidays. They cook in as little as 5 minutes as a weeknight go-to solution to make the whole family happy. Available in the produce section, their convenience adds a bit of peace to the kitchen and brings little moments of happiness during the holiday season.
To find additional quick, delicious recipes for serving to your loved ones, visit littlepotatoes.com.
Cheesy Baked Little Potatoes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4
- 1 1/2 pounds Little Potatoes (any variety)
- 1 1/3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated small
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 5 sprigs thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Pierce potatoes with fork and microwave for 7 minutes. Cut in half and place cut side up in parchment-lined 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- In a bowl, mix cheese, cream, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Pour over potatoes, spreading cheese evenly.
- Bake for 10 minutes then broil 3-5 minutes until golden brown.
Goat Cheese and Thyme Mashed Potatoes
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
- 1 1/2 pounds Little Potatoes
- water
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional, to taste
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon butter
- pepper, to taste
- 2/3 cup goat cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- Add potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and boil for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
- In a small saucepot over low heat, heat milk and butter until butter is melted and milk is steaming.
- Once potatoes are cooked, strain and transfer to a medium mixing bowl.
- Using potato masher, smash potatoes with milk and butter mixture and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Remove thyme from stems and lightly chop.
- Once potatoes are mashed, stir in goat cheese and fresh thyme.
SOURCE:
At our core, we at STM Daily News, strive to keep you informed and inspired with the freshest content on all things food and beverage. From mouthwatering recipes to intriguing articles, we’re here to satisfy your appetite for culinary knowledge.
Visit our Food & Drink section to get the latest on Foodie News and recipes, offering a delightful blend of culinary inspiration and gastronomic trends to elevate your dining experience.
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