1.2 million immigrants are leaving the US workforce, experts say.

 

 

Experts say President Donald Trump's immigration policies are also affecting the country's workforce. According to Census Bureau data, more than 1.2 million immigrants disappeared from their jobs between January and the end of July. This includes both those who are in the country illegally and those who are legal residents.

Immigrants make up about 20 percent of the US workforce. About 45 percent of workers in agriculture, fishing and forestry are immigrants, says Stephanie Cramer, a senior researcher at the Pew Research Center. About 30 percent of construction workers and 24 percent of service workers are immigrants, she added. The number of people living illegally in the US reached an all-time high of 14 million in 2023. The loss of immigrant workers comes as the overall immigrant population declines for the first time since then.