The True Cost Of Donald Trump’s Immigration Policies

By Felicia J. Persaud

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, July 16, 2025: Donald Trump campaigned on the promise of alleviating inflation and addressing pocketbook issues, claiming that his focus would solely be on deporting criminal immigrants. Sadly, too many naturalized immigrant citizens fell for these promises. Now, many are witnessing the horror of Trump’s xenophobic and hateful policies play out in real-time, with ICE agents enforcing these measures in ways that echo the brutal tactics of Haiti’s Tonton Macoutes.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents continue to stay and arrest in front of New York City’s immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building, on July 16, 2025, in New York City, United States. (Photo by Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The reality is that America is about to learn just how critical immigrant labor is to the economy. According to a new report by FWD.us, the Trump administration’s announced immigration policies are set to have a significant and far-reaching impact on American families, pushing everyday costs higher and causing unnecessary economic strain.

While inflation has already taken a toll on American households, driving up the cost of essential goods and services, these new policies threaten to make things worse. By 2028, Americans could be paying an additional $2,150 per year due to the labor shortages these policies would create. The FWD.us report underscores that this financial burden would be felt most by working-class families who already struggle to make ends meet.

The key driver of these price increases is the removal of immigrant workers from the U.S. labor force.  Immigrants play a critical role in sectors such as agriculture, construction, hospitality, healthcare, and more. If these policies – revoking work permits, mass deportations, and restricting legal immigration – are fully implemented, American families will face significant price hikes for everyday essentials.

For instance, the report estimates that food prices could increase by 14.5%, primarily due to the reduction in the agricultural workforce, where immigrants make up a significant portion of the labor force. With fewer workers in the fields, the price of groceries will rise, adding an additional financial burden to families already struggling with inflation. Similarly, housing costs, which have already been skyrocketing, are forecasted to rise by 6.1%, further pushing homeownership and rental options out of reach for many Americans.

But it’s not just the financial impact that should raise alarms—there’s also the human toll. The FWD.us report highlights that millions of Americans living in mixed-status families will face the painful reality of family separation. U.S. citizen children and adults who rely on immigrant family members will experience severe emotional and financial hardship. Immigrant parents may no longer be able to support their families, and many U.S. citizen children could be thrust into poverty as a result. This will have a particularly devastating effect on lower-income households, where every dollar counts.

Beyond the immediate economic hardship, the long-term impact of these policies will be felt across the entire economy. Immigrant workers are essential to the U.S. economy in sectors like agriculture, construction, and manufacturing. The mass deportation of immigrants and the cancellation of work permits for individuals with Temporary Protected Status, (TPS), Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, (DACA), and other protections would remove millions of workers from the labor force. This loss of labor would raise the cost of goods and services, further driving up inflation and leave critical sectors unable to meet demand.

The report also estimates that by the end of 2028, the U.S. economy will lose billions of dollars in long-term earnings contributions from immigrant workers, significantly slowing economic growth. Key industries like agriculture, construction, and manufacturing will bear the brunt of these losses. For example, the cost of a new home could increase by $48,000 by 2028, making housing even less affordable for American families already struggling to get by. The cost of a weekly grocery bill is projected to rise by $30, from $165 to $195, putting further strain on household budgets.

At the heart of this issue is the fact that immigrants make essential goods and services more affordable for American families. Removing immigrant labor will only exacerbate the rising costs that American households are already facing. The cancellation of work permits, and mass deportations will leave gaps in industries where American workers are simply not available to fill those roles, leading to a vicious cycle of rising prices, reduced productivity, and increased economic inequality.

The human cost of these policies is even more concerning. An estimated 1.6 million U.S. citizen adults and 1.5 million U.S. citizen children live with immigrants who could lose their work permits or be deported. These families will face the devastating consequences of separation, poverty, and hardship.

The FWD.us report also highlights that these policies could result in the loss of over 2 million workers in key industries by the end of 2028, with the most significant impact on agriculture, construction, and leisure sectors. The loss of legal immigration pathways will further exacerbate the labor shortage, leaving industries unable to meet demand.

In conclusion, the new immigration policies outlined in the FWD.us report will hurt American families in multiple ways. They will lead to higher costs for essential goods and services, a loss of labor in key sectors, and the unnecessary separation of families. Instead of prioritizing divisive and punitive immigration policies, Congress and the administration should focus on comprehensive immigration reform that supports families and strengthens the economy.

Todd Schulte, President of FWD.us, says it best: “If we want to stabilize the costs of goods and services for Americans while also adhering to American family values, Congress and the administration should maintain work permits for immigrants with a temporary protection, should put forth a process to earn citizenship for those building their lives here rather than fund more mass deportations and family separations, and build a modern legal immigration system that allows America to thrive and be a beacon of hope in the decades to come.”

Felicia J. Persaud is the publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, a daily news outlet focused on positive news about Black immigrant communities from the Caribbean and Latin America.