Most of the adults who are residing in the US as undocumented work jobs. So there is a cost to the GDP of the country if they are deported. At the present time, undocumenteds are approximately 3% of the overall US population, and yet there has been upward pressure on wages and employees (at least good ones) come at a premium in the service sectors of the economy. The US construction industry runs on immigrants, some with papers, other not. One could argue that we need more immigrants to fill available jobs. I would rather we find a way to do this within the law, but others think if we just keep them out and also kick them out, the economy will be better. The math doesn't support that.
- More than 1.4 million undocumented immigrants work in construction, accounting for 13 percent of all construction workers.
- Approximately 25 percent of workers in farming, fishing, and forestry occupations are undocumented—although this is likely an undercount—as are 16 percent of workers in construction and extraction occupations.