'We are terrified': Trump's migrant crackdown has workers and firms worried

President Trump's new immigration policies are causing a lot of concern among workers and business owners across the United States. Victor Moran, who runs a cleaning company in Maryland with 1,200 employees, is feeling the effects. He makes sure to hire only people who are legally allowed to work in the US, but even so, he has lost about 15 workers since Trump changed the rules for immigrants from Venezuela and Nicaragua. These workers lost their temporary protection from being sent back to their home countries, and Victor fears that if the government expands these efforts, he could lose hundreds more employees. Replacing them would be very difficult, as many of his workers rely on similar permits to stay and work in the country.

This situation is not unique to Victor's company. Businesses all over the US are facing similar problems. According to census data, nearly 20 percent of workers in the US last year were immigrants, which is a record high. President Trump has said he is focusing on people who are in the country illegally, who make up about 4 percent of the workforce. His promise to carry out mass deportations was a major part of his campaign, and it has support from many people, including some Hispanic voters. The Trump administration has restarted workplace raids, which had been stopped under President Biden. The government is also targeting people on student visas, stopping some refugees from coming to the US, and trying to take away temporary work permits that were given by past presidents.

These actions are causing a lot of fear and uncertainty. Justino Gomez, a 73-year-old man from El Salvador, has lived in the US for 30 years and works as a cleaner. He is allowed to work because of a program called TPS, which gives temporary protection to people from certain countries. But now, he is worried that El Salvador could be next on the list, and he might lose his job and be forced to leave. He says he feels stressed every time he leaves his house, afraid that immigration officers might be waiting for him. Many businesses, like hospitals and care homes, are already losing workers and struggling to find replacements. Experts warn that if these policies continue, it could slow down the economy, make it harder for companies to grow, and even cause prices to rise. Some industries, like farming and construction, are especially worried because they rely heavily on immigrant workers. Even though some people support these changes, others are concerned about the long-term effects on the economy and the lives of millions of workers.