How the Construction Industry is Preparing for Trump’s Immigration Policies

Donald Trump, the President-elect, plans to enforce strict immigration laws which could lead to the mass deportation of unauthorized workers soon after he assumes office in January. 

This is worrying for sectors like construction which heavily depend on immigrant workers. According to the Pew Research Center, immigrants make up 26% of the construction workforce, with 13% working without proper authorization.

Even companies that only hire workers with proper documentation are concerned. According to Shanon Stevenson, a partner at the law firm Fisher & Phillips in Atlanta, construction companies are particularly anxious about the potential loss of a large portion of their labor force.

With the uncertainty of how these mass deportations will be implemented and the possibility of overwhelming the immigration courts, construction industry leaders are advised to take proactive steps to ensure their businesses and their legal workers are protected.
 

Specific Actions to Consider:

1. Internal I-9 Audits: Companies have started conducting thorough checks of their I-9 forms, which confirm a worker's eligibility in the U.S. and should be completed within three days of hiring.
 

• Gather all I-9 forms.
• Issue I-9 forms to employees who lack them.
• Fix any errors found on existing I-9s. Minor errors can be corrected on the form, but major issues might require a new form.

2. Verification Using E-Verify: 23 states require the use of E-Verify to some extent, a system that provides a more thorough means to verify work eligibility than I-9 forms alone. The rules vary, with some states requiring it only for public employees or large companies.

Despite these audit practices, Marisa Diaz from the National Employment Law Project warns that excessive verification processes can disrupt and negatively impact employees, regardless of their authorization status. 

Diaz noted an increase in workplace fear among immigrant workers due to anti-immigration sentiments, affecting their ability to work safely and efficiently.

It's crucial for companies to manage these verification processes carefully without discriminating against workers, especially in a politically charged environment like the current one. 

Handling these concerns sensitively can minimize workplace disruption and protect both the company's interests and the rights of the workers.

Check out ImmigrationBenefits.net for more relevant information.

-

Need more legal guides? Check out the articles here.