Foreign-born workers vital to DSM's key sectors
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Manufacturing, food service/recreation and construction industries have the greatest shares of foreign-born noncitizen workers in the Des Moines area, per census data.
Why it matters: The numbers highlight which local industries could be most affected by the Trump administration's mass deportation push — particularly as federal officials roll back programs that have allowed some noncitizens to work in the U.S. legally.
By the numbers: Foreign-born noncitizens, including legal residents and those with work visas, account for at least 10% of DSM's workers in those industries, based on a 2019–2023 average from U.S. Census Bureau estimates.
- Overall, over 5% of workers in the metro are foreign-born noncitizens.
Reality check: President Trump earlier this summer acknowledged that his massive immigration crackdown is "taking very good, long-time workers away from" the farming and hotel industries, and he promised changes.
- Yet, there's still no major policy shift from the White House, which must balance economic realities with MAGA demands to deport as many people as possible.