Trump deportations ripple through Colorado's economy
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President Trump's mass-deportation campaign is costing Colorado — straining taxpayers and construction workforce that's already short on workers.
Why it matters: The numbers reveal the immigration crackdown's ripple effects reaching far beyond those directly targeted.
By the numbers: Colorado is estimated to contribute $5.4 billion toward federal deportation and detention funding — roughly $2,400 per taxpayer — a new tool from the Economic Policy Institute calculates.
Zoom in: That average swings hard depending on how much federal income tax residents pay:
- In Denver, that's $3,081. In Aspen, it's $12,540.
Driving the news: New data shows Colorado's construction industry is feeling the immigration enforcement squeeze firsthand.
- Of 28 firms surveyed this year by the Associated General Contractors of America, 14% reported a job site visited by immigration agents.
- 11% said workers vanished amid real or rumored enforcement; 14% said subcontractors lost workers, too.
The big picture: That's landing on an industry that's already stretched thin — half of firms say hiring has gotten harder over the past year — raising risks of slower project timelines and spiking costs, per AGCA, including for the affordable housing Colorado desperately needs.