WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – Inflation has been a major topic of conversation as voters head to the polls for next month’s midterm elections. Economists point to several factors, but some Democratic lawmakers say President Donald Trump’s immigration policies are part of the problem.
Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) said the impact of immigration enforcement is being felt across multiple industries.
“ICE is an affordability issue. Everyone in this country is paying the ‘ICE tax,’” Espaillat said.
Some politicians argue the Trump administration’s immigration policy is hitting Americans’ pocketbooks, calling the economic fallout from mass deportations the “ICE tax.”
“When a construction site screeched to a halt because no one is left to build homes, that’s the ‘ICE tax’. When our elders cannot receive the care that they need because their caretakers and nurses are gone, that’s the ‘ICE tax,’” Espaillat said.
While Democrats such as Espaillat are focusing on the consequences, others see the immigration crackdown as a positive.
Joe Chatham with the Federation for American Immigration Reform supports Trump’s immigration agenda, claiming it’s boosting the U.S. economy. He said fewer foreign workers means a better deal for Americans.
“What you see is employers across the board, they start to raise those wages and there’s upward pressure because there’s less workers available. And then in addition, the working conditions start to improve. So American workers will come back into those jobs, and they’ll be able to sustain a middle-class lifestyle,” Chatham said.
Chatham said it’s a give and take, pointing to the housing market. In his view, while fewer foreign workers could make labor more expensive, housing access is a “zero-sum game.” He said more deportations means less demand for housing, lowering the cost.
“You’re also putting more money in the pocket of American workers who can then go out and buy houses, then go out and buy new products,” Chatham said.
The Brookings Institute studied cities with the most ICE activity in 2025. It found nearly 670,000 jobs were lost, with at least one in six being jobs held by American-born workers.
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