ICE Arrests Disrupt Texas Construction Industry
27th December 2025
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions are disrupting the construction industry in South Texas.
Builders attribute it to a previous period of large-scale deportations as a warning of pending economic consequences.
Industry leaders say arrests at or near construction sites have caused many workers to stay home, slowing projects and tightening labor availability across the Rio Grande Valley.
ICE has arrested more than 9,100 people in South Texas since President Donald Trump took office, nearly one-fifth of related arrests statewide during that period, according to ICE data obtained through a public records request and analyzed by the Texas Tribune.
Gee, I guess they’ll just have to hire Americans. What a hardship.