If You’re Losing Your Workforce, What Are You Supposed to Do?
Advice for businesses on the importance of immigration reform for workforce stability.
By Devry Boughner Vorwerk
If you own a farm, manufacturing plant, food processing facility, transportation company or small-to-mid-sized business, you already know the truth.
The U.S. labor pool is shrinking in real time. Workers who showed up consistently are gone. New hires are harder to find. Long-time employees are afraid. Production schedules are increasingly unstable.
You are left asking a practical question: “What am I supposed to do?”
Stay quiet?
Absorb the losses?
Reduce output?
Turn away contracts?
Leave crops unharvested?
Before the recent immigration crackdowns, the United States was already facing labor shortages and skills gaps. That situation is now exacerbated. Immigrant workers — vital contributors to our economy and communities — are in crisis, and so is our business community.
Fewer available workers are negatively affecting fields, factory floors, foodservice kitchens and logistics routes across the country. The ripple effects of workforce instability and inconsistent immigration enforcement are disrupting supply chains at every critical stage — from planting and processing to production and delivery.
Personal and Historical Context.
I grew up in California’s Salinas Valley, a place where the rhythms of life are set by planting and harvest. From an early age, I understood that the abundance on America’s tables rests on the hands of people willing to rise before dawn and work the fields. I devoted my career to agriculture and have traveled across farming regions around the world, and the lesson has been consistent: food systems rise or fall on the strength, skill, and stability of their labor force. At UC Davis, I took a labor economics course from Dr. Philip Martin, whose scholarship and steady clarity shaped my understanding of the delicate balance between employer and laborer. He illuminated the essential role migration, farm bill policy, and immigration law play in sustaining dignity for workers while securing a dependable workforce to harvest the crops that feed our nation.
Over time, I came to see that what is true in the fields is true across our economy. Immigrant labor is woven through the entire American supply chain — from agriculture to food processing, from manufacturing floors to construction sites, from hospitality and retail to elder care and health services. We rely on immigrant workers not as a peripheral force, but as a structural pillar of economic stability and growth. Yet as a nation, we have struggled to strike the right balance in immigration policy. We are once again confronting the consequences of policies that swing between neglect and enforcement without securing a durable, humane framework that honors both the rule of law and the indispensable role immigrants play in our economy.
The last time the U.S. Congress achieved comprehensive immigration reform was in 1986, when President Ronald Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act into law. That bipartisan legislation paired legalization for millions of undocumented immigrants with employer accountability and commitments to stronger enforcement. It reflected a recognition that enforcement alone would not solve the challenge, and that economic reality required lawful pathways for workers already contributing to the nation’s prosperity. Nearly four decades later, our economy is larger, more complex, and more deeply integrated into global supply chains — yet our immigration framework remains frozen in time. The result is a widening gap between the labor our economy demands and the legal channels available to meet that demand.
As the crisis in Minnesota has unfolded over the past couple of months, I was struck by the silence of the business community in speaking up. Finally the Minnesota Business Partnership issued a collective statement on January 25th. Yet as a nation, we have struggled to strike the right balance in immigration policy. We are once again confronting the consequences of policies that swing between neglect and enforcement without securing a durable, humane framework that honors both the rule of law and the indispensable role immigrants play in our economy.
I published an article on January 26th titled When Silence Speaks: Twin Cities Leadership After The Statement, calling on business leaders to push for comprehensive immigration reform. It’s something constructive companies can do to begin to solve for the root causes of the immigration crisis.
The Business Reality.
Labor constraints are no longer abstract. They are operational realities.
According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 8.3 million undocumented immigrants participate in the U.S. workforce, representing about 5.2% of total workers. These workers are heavily concentrated in sectors that keep the domestic economy functioning — including construction, hospitality, agriculture, landscaping, food processing and manufacturing.
When labor availability tightens in those sectors, output suffers.
The pressure extends beyond undocumented workers. Some employers report that even documented workers — including individuals with temporary protected status or valid work authorization — are experiencing heightened anxiety. Reports of lawful workers being detained or questioned during enforcement operations have created uncertainty across entire job sites and facilities. Fear does not stay isolated. It affects attendance, retention and recruitment across entire teams.
The broader economic footprint is significant. The American Immigration Council reports that immigrants paid approximately $651.9 billion in federal, state and local taxes in 2023. The same organization estimates that undocumented households alone accounted for roughly $299 billion in spending power in 2023, supporting housing markets, grocery stores, equipment purchases, vehicle sales and small businesses across the country.
When workers leave payrolls, spending contracts. As spending contracts, local tax revenues decline and communities — urban and rural — feel the impact quickly.
At the federal level, enforcement spending has continued to rise. Analysis from the American Immigration Council, drawing on federal budget data, estimates that the United States spent approximately $409 billion on immigration enforcement between 2003 and 2024, excluding tens of billions more for border barriers and related infrastructure. Recent supplemental appropriations legislation provided more than $70 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and over $75 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with funding extending through 2029.
Despite increases in enforcement funding, employers across agriculture and manufacturing continue to report persistent labor availability challenges and instability.
For agriculture, constrained labor threatens harvest capacity and food production.
For manufacturers, unfilled positions reduce domestic output, threaten inbound foreign investment, and weaken competitiveness.
For small communities, declining workforce participation reduces consumer spending and erodes local economic stability.
An immigration system that prioritizes enforcement without modernizing lawful workforce pathways has not produced stability for employers, workers or communities. Production requires people. Supply chains require predictability. Local economies require participation. Therefore, workforce stability is not a political or policy abstraction. It is an economic necessity.
So, what are you as a business leader supposed to do about immigration?
The Hard Part: Speaking Up.
Many business owners hesitate to engage publicly, especially in a moment when our politics are so divisive. Immigration policy sparks controversy and political rhetoric is running really hot right now. It’s understandable that no company wants to be mischaracterized, yet silence in this moment also mischaracterizes the truth.
From my faith, I often hold the words of Jesus close when I am struggling with what to do and say: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32, NIV).
Telling the truth about workforce realities is not partisan; it’s simply good business. Honest assessment of labor shortages reflects responsible leadership. Business owners can support border security and the rule of law while also advocating for a stable, legal workforce. Both goals can coexist. Both are necessary.
A Point of Unity: Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
Americans disagree on many issues, yet I submit that economic stability; secure borders; legal and institutional integrity; a functioning and humane immigration system; food security; and strong manufacturing growth can all unite us. Comprehensive immigration reform aligns these interests and treats workers with dignity by making the rules clear and honoring immigrants as human beings.
One serious bipartisan proposal under consideration is the Dignity Act of 2025 (H.R. 4393).
Core Components of the Dignity Act:
Dignity Program: Renewable 7-year legal work status for undocumented immigrants, without automatic citizenship.
Mandatory E-Verify: Phased-in national work authorization verification for employers.
Visa Backlog Caps: Maximum 10-year wait time for legal visa processing.
Humanitarian Processing Centers: Asylum determinations within 60 days.
Enhanced Penalties: Stronger consequences for illegal reentry and trafficking.
American Worker Fund: $70 billion for workforce retraining and upskilling, funded through restitution payments.
Dual Intent for International Students: Streamlined transition from student visa to green card.
Direct Path for Dreamers: Separate pathway to citizenship.
The proposal emphasizes dignity — for workers seeking legal status, for employers seeking compliance clarity and for communities seeking peace.
Broad Business Support Is Growing.
As of the writing of this article, more than 35 Members of Congress and 65+ national organizations support the Dignity legislation, including:
U.S. Chamber of Commerce;
National Association of Manufacturers;
National Association of Home Builders;
National Retail Federation;
National Association of Landscape Professionals;
Associated General Contractors of America;
Small Business Majority;
American Business Immigration Council; and
Multiple agricultural and industry associations.
Support spans employers, veterans, faith leaders, business councils and trade groups.
What I see missing is ACTUAL COMPANY NAMES. There is an opportunity for individual businesses to lend their company name to immigration reform. When companies speak up, Members of Congress take note.
Backing immigration reform has become a mainstream business position, so while it seems scary, employers must weigh in for the survival of the business.
What Can Your Company Do?
Ignoring the issue will not stabilize your workforce.
If labor constraints are affecting production, delivery schedules or long-term planning, engagement becomes part of responsible leadership. Speaking up does not require partisanship. It requires clarity about what your business needs to remain viable.
Here are tangible steps your company can take:
1. Get Informed — Bring in Expertise.
Comprehensive immigration reform is complex. Understanding the current legislative landscape — including the Dignity Act and other proposals — allows you to evaluate what would actually support your workforce needs.
Consider hosting a briefing for your leadership team. Invite a public policy expert, legal advisor or industry advocate who can explain:
Where current legislation stands;
What provisions affect agriculture, manufacturing and beyond;
What a realistic pathway through Congress looks like; and
What compliance changes employers should anticipate.
Information reduces uncertainty. Informed companies lead with confidence.
2. Convene Other Business Leaders.
Workforce instability rarely affects only one employer. Other farms, plants, processors, distributors and service providers in your region are likely navigating the same strain.
Gather a small group of trusted business leaders to discuss:
Workforce disruptions you are experiencing;
Recruitment challenges;
Retention concerns tied to enforcement anxiety; and
Operational impacts on supply chains.
A unified local voice carries more weight than an isolated one. Shared experiences also clarify that the problem is structural, not individual.
3. Engage Your Local Chamber of Commerce.
Chambers of Commerce and trade associations exist to represent business interests collectively. Ask your local or state chamber:
To survey members on workforce impacts;
To host a forum on immigration and labor stability;
To adopt a position supporting practical reform; and
To communicate business concerns to state and federal officials.
Collective advocacy provides cover for individual companies that prefer not to stand alone, yet I also suggest drumming up the courage to lend your company name to these efforts.
4. Call Your Member of Congress or Senator.
Elected officials often hear from advocacy groups but less frequently from business operators describing operational impacts.
A direct call or meeting can communicate:
Open positions you cannot fill;
Production or harvest disruptions;
Revenue impacts;
Concerns about workforce anxiety; and
The need for lawful, stable workforce solutions.
Clear, nonpartisan communication focused on economic consequences can influence legislative priorities.
5. Sign — or Organize — a Letter of Support.
Public letters signed by multiple businesses that list individual company brands demonstrate broad economic alignment.
Consider organizing a letter that:
Lists participating companies;
Identifies shared workforce concerns;
Supports comprehensive immigration reform that balances enforcement and lawful workforce pathways; and
Emphasizes food security, domestic manufacturing and economic stability.
When multiple employers sign together, the message shifts from political advocacy to economic-wide necessity.
In Closing, Silence Also Speaks.
In summary, silence will not rebuild a labor pipeline. Thoughtful, coordinated engagement can.
Supporting comprehensive immigration reform does not require abandoning company values, it reinforces those values. Speaking up reflects stewardship — of your workforce, your customers, your community and your company’s long-term viability.
Business leaders shape the conditions that catalyze the American economy to keep planting, building, growing and delivering.