According to the U.S. Department of Labor and as mentioned in 2024 LDC Comprehensive Handbook on U.S. Latinos™, U.S. Latinos are projected to account for 78% of all net new workers entering the labor market between 2020 and 2030. This statistic underscores the pivotal role Latinos play in sustaining and growing the U.S. workforce, particularly as other demographic groups experience slower growth or decline.
That’s why deportations don’t make sense. While undocumented immigrants make up a small portion of the U.S. Latino population, they are approximately 5% of the workforce and are vital in specific industries. For example, 70% of the farming industry is made up of undocumented immigrants. And farmers report that labor shortages are the number one limiting factor on their farms. Even further, undocumented immigrants add significant value to the U.S. economy; they pay into programs they themselves don’t benefit from. In 2022, undocumented immigrants paid $96.7 billion in federal, state, and local taxes.