Mass Deportations Are Crippling America’s Job Sites, Courtrooms, and Small Businesses

Mass Deportations Impact on Small Businesses

Introduction

The public conversation on immigration often focuses on politics and borders—but misses the massive economic disruption happening behind closed doors.

Mass deportations don’t just affect individuals and families—they paralyze job sites, jam our courtrooms, and threaten the survival of American small businesses.

As someone who has served as Mayor of Nogales, AZ and Chief of Staff at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and now advises businesses through Intermestic Partners, I’ve seen firsthand how immigration policy choices ripple across industries and institutions.

Let’s break down what’s really happening.

The State of Deportations

In 2019, over 267,000 individuals were deported from the U.S. Each case involves costly and time-consuming legal proceedings—backlogging court dockets and exhausting public resources. This is not just a humanitarian issue—it’s an economic policy failure.

Immigrants & Small Businesses: The Engine of Local Economies

Immigrants are essential to America’s business fabric:

• They own over 18% of U.S. small businesses 

• They fill critical roles in construction, hospitality, agriculture, and services

• They help power Main Street—not just Wall Street

When mass deportations strike, these businesses lose trusted workers, skilled tradespeople, and often their own owners.

The result? Project delays. Business closures. Lost revenue.

Job Sites Are Taking the Hit

Consider construction—a cornerstone of economic growth. In states like California, immigrants make up nearly 65% of construction workers. Deportations here don’t just remove people—they stop cranes, silence hammers, and inflate project budgets.

When you deport a skilled framer, a plumber, a roofer—you don’t just lose labor. You delay housing builds, increase costs, and slow community development.

The Legal System Is Overwhelmed

Each deportation goes through immigration court, often taking months or even years. This overload:

• Backs up courtrooms

• Consumes taxpayer dollars

• Delays justice for others

We’re investing in legal gridlock rather than legal solutions.

Communities and Economies Fracture

Deporting workers leads to:

• Lost small business tax revenue

• Lower consumer spending

• Less local economic activity

• Weakened community cohesion

From bakeries and farms to landscaping crews and care services, the absence of immigrant labor shrinks economic vibrancy.

Solutions: What We Can Do

The path forward must include:

• Work visas and legal pathways for industries that rely on immigrant labor

• Modernized immigration courts to reduce backlogs and costs

• Comprehensive reform that reflects economic reality—not just ideology

These changes will protect jobs, grow small businesses, and strengthen our economy.

Conclusion: A Call for Common Sense

The real cost of mass deportations isn’t just in enforcement—it’s in empty job sites, shuttered shops, and strained institutions. Small businesses are suffering. The legal system is buckling. Our communities are losing valuable members.

We need smart immigration policy that reflects our economic needs and shared humanity.

Let’s stop the self-inflicted damage—before the foundation of our economy cracks any further.

Partner with us at Intermestic Partners to build sustainable solutions that support cross-border businesses, protect essential workers, and promote smart economic growth.