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News Topical, Digital Desk : During his second term, US President Donald Trump implemented a "zero immigration" policy under the slogan "Make America Great Again." This policy is now becoming a burden for America.
In 2024, the foreign-born population in the United States was 14.8 percent, the highest number since 1890. Upon Trump's inauguration, the administration sealed the borders, restricting the entry of refugees, and forcing newcomers and long-term residents to leave.
Currently, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are conducting aggressive searches in cities and villages, causing panic among foreigners who have traveled to the US to earn a living. As a result, annual net immigration has declined from 2 to 3 million to just 450,000.
There is a shortage of workers in America
The repeal of temporary legal relief granted under the Biden administration puts millions of people at risk of deportation at any time. The Trump administration has already deported 600,000 people.
The direct impact is visible on the ground. Hospitals are short of doctors and nurses. Rising visa fees are driving down student numbers in schools, colleges, and universities. Restaurants are closing due to a lack of workers, and crops are at risk.
- Louisiana construction companies are struggling to find carpenters.
- West Virginia hospitals are unable to get doctors and nurses from abroad.
- In Memphis, Tennessee, the local football league can't field enough teams because immigrant kids have stopped coming.
What are experts doing about America?
Regarding this ground reality, American experts say that just as America isolated itself in the 1990s, it is once again cutting itself off from the world. Just as industries shrank at that time, similar conditions are developing today.
Economists are warning that the current climate in America is leading to a labor shortage with each passing day. This labor shortage will increase inflation, reduce services, and shatter America's image as a "land of opportunity."
Which sectors are most affected in America?
Health: Doctors and nurses are not available, patients in trouble
America's healthcare system has been the first to collapse under this policy. In Republican states like West Virginia, 20 percent of nursing positions are vacant. One in three doctors was educated abroad, but now, fearing visa restrictions, they are refusing to come to the United States.
According to the Vandalia Health Network, two cardiologists left in just one year because they were not confident they would be able to stay permanently.
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Hospitals acknowledge that this isn't just a staffing issue, but a matter of patient lives. Rural areas already had a shortage of doctors. Now, they're struggling to find staff for essential tasks like deliveries, emergencies, and elderly care.
Education: If children are not in school, teachers' jobs are in danger.
The Trump administration's strict regulations are causing immigrant families in Los Angeles and New York to stop sending their children to school out of fear. School student numbers have declined sharply, and teachers' jobs are at risk.
Meanwhile, the decline in international student numbers is straining college budgets. Foreign students used to pay full fees, which is what kept the American education system running.
Restaurants: Cooks and managers are scarce; costs are rising
Thousands of immigrants working in restaurants, shopping malls, and local markets in many US states are now disappearing. Dan Simpson, CEO of the restaurant chain Taziki's, said cooks, dishwashers, and managers are scarce, so stores are opening for limited hours.
According to businessmen, due to shortage of labourers, the cost is increasing and prices will have to be increased.
Agriculture: Laborers are not available, supply chain is breaking
American agriculture relies on migrant workers. Dairy, vegetable, and meat processing plants are facing labor shortages. Luke, a Pennsylvania farmer, says that if 10 people are needed, perhaps one American will apply. Production is declining, disrupting supply chains.
What did the worried migrants say?
There's no work available in America. The situation is so dire that even returning home is difficult. Ukrainian engineer Sergei Fedko, who lives in Marshalltown, Iowa, was doing well with his job, home, and his children's education. Life was well-settled in America, but Trump's new policy upended everything. He had to pay a $1,000 fee to extend his parole.
He explains that his wife's case is still pending. If his wife loses her work permit, caring for the children at the daycare center will become even more difficult. Thousands of people from Haiti, Cuba, and Venezuela are unable to work or return to their countries. They have been pushed out of the system.
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