D.C. construction hits delays as Trump crackdown sparks worker fears
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Many construction workers are terrified of President Trump's immigration crackdown and have stopped showing up to D.C. job sites, contractors tell Axios.
The big picture: They say the worker shortages are stalling timelines and driving up costs on commercial and residential projects.
- Many local workers will only take jobs in Maryland and Virginia, and multiple contractors tell Axios they might stop bidding on projects in D.C.
What they're saying: "I think about Trump's ballroom," says a D.C. contractor. "How's that going to get built?"
Context: The construction industry relies heavily on workers from South and Central America, a significant share of whom are undocumented, per the National Immigration Forum.
- And heightened immigration enforcement is taking a toll. Almost a third of construction groups reported being affected by such activities in recent months in a survey by the Associated General Contractors of America and the National Center for Construction Education and Research.
- 92% of construction groups surveyed said they're having a hard time hiring workers.
State of play: Some workers will no longer drive construction vans or trucks carrying ladders because they're conspicuous, and others are carpooling to avoid taking Metro, a Maryland-based contractor tells Axios.
- All contractors Axios spoke with manage projects across Washington and asked for anonymity to protect their business and workers.
Many workers can't go to Home Depot or Lowe's for supplies anymore, as they're worried about ICE targeting these spots, multiple contractors say.
- And the Maryland contractor stopped placing signs advertising their company in front of D.C. job sites, as they're worried it will draw attention from immigration officials.
A Virginia-based contractor tells Axios that two of their workers have been detained while driving — one was deported, and they're unsure where the other is.
- But many Latino workers are fearful of being targeted due to their ethnicity, regardless of their status, the contractor says.
The other side: Tricia McLaughlin, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, told Axios that reports of such targeting are "false."
- "What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is if they are illegally in the U.S.," she says.
By the numbers: Almost 40% of the over 3,500 arrests made during Trump's D.C. crackdown as of Sept. 29 were immigration-related, CBS recently reported.
- Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, tells Axios that many of the immigrants arrested "during this operation were committing crimes or had outstanding warrants and prior convictions."
What we're watching: Consumers will likely feel the ripple effects soon. The cost of construction is already rising in the area due to tariffs and inflation — but if the local labor pool continues to dwindle, work will only get more expensive and projects will take longer, contractors tell Axios.
- That could further slow D.C. development, which has taken a hit from the pandemic. Not great timing when local leaders are pushing for more innovation and diversification amid a struggling economy.
- "It's just this never-ending onslaught," says the Maryland-based contractor.