April 4, 2017. FPI’s, David Dyssegaard Kallick, was quoted in an article arguing that Trump’s immigration policies could have significant implications on industries heavily populated with immigrant workers, such as the construction industry. The article argues that Trump’s policies instill fear in workers, create abuse and will create a decline in workers in the construction industry
For industries traditionally populated by immigrants, like construction, the policies could have significant implications. The uncertainty surrounding how these orders will play out nationally and even in cities like New York and Los Angeles —where the elected officials have emphatically spoken out against such enforcement — has some workers and advocates concerned about the industry’s future. At the minimum, the policies have put workers on edge and potentially invite abuse in an industry already plagued by safety issues and allegations of exploitation.
“Everything I’ve heard from the Trump administration, seems to create an enormous amount of disruption and panic,” said David Kallick, director of the Immigration Research Initiative at the Fiscal Policy Institute. “It seems like we’re in for a series of high-profile raids on workplaces to try to find undocumented immigrants.”
The looming threat of ICE agents descending on a worksite — even if unlikely — could drive workers “further underground,” Kallick said. Construction workers could be less willing to speak out against unsafe or otherwise unfair work conditions and might be more inclined to pick up and leave a job at even the smallest sign of danger.
Here is the link to The Real Deal.