The workforce in the United States is already beginning to feel the effects of new immigration policies introduced under the Trump administration. These changes are expected to impact certain industries more severely than others, particularly those that rely heavily on immigrant labor.
A recent analysis by Brooks Law Firm looked at which sectors are most vulnerable to labor shortages if immigration enforcement becomes stricter. According to the study, the information sector is set to experience the largest disruption, with around 416,000 immigrant workers currently employed. While immigrants make up just 1.4% of the total workforce in this field, the sector is among the fastest-growing, and reduced access to talent could slow its progress significantly.
The education and health services sector follows closely behind. With 18.4% of its workforce consisting of immigrants—the highest share among all industries—it could see as many as 183,500 workers leave the U.S. if the new policies take full effect. The professional and business services sector ranks third, with immigrants making up 15.8% of its workforce. That equates to roughly 157,600 jobs at risk due to immigration changes.
Public administration, which employs about 765,000 immigrant workers, comes in fourth. Although the proportion of immigrants is lower here, the sector’s minimal growth rate of 0.1% means it would be slower to recover from workforce losses compared to other industries.
In fifth place is leisure and hospitality. This sector is one of the largest employers of immigrant workers, with over 3 million currently working in the field. If immigration enforcement tightens, the industry could see a loss of around 101,700 workers, creating significant staffing challenges for businesses.
Financial services are next, employing a smaller share of immigrant workers—about 5.4%—but still facing a projected loss of 53,800 individuals. With growth in this sector also limited, the impact of losing skilled talent could linger for some time.
Transportation and utilities come in seventh, with over 2.1 million immigrant workers making up about 7.2% of the sector’s workforce. Under the new policies, an estimated 71,800 workers may leave the industry, potentially disrupting essential logistics and infrastructure services.
Eighth on the list is the category labeled “other services,” which includes jobs such as repair and maintenance. This group employs around 1.5 million immigrants, also making up 5.4% of its workforce. Though not always in the spotlight, disruptions here can affect small businesses and local economies.
Wholesale and retail trade is another major employer of immigrant workers, with approximately 3 million currently on the job. This industry could see around 101,700 workers forced to leave under the latest immigration laws.
Manufacturing is in a similar position. It too employs over 3 million immigrant workers and faces a potential loss of 105,700. With a slow growth rate of just 0.1%, losing this portion of the workforce could have long-term effects on production and supply chains.
Finally, agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, mining, and construction collectively rank eleventh. While they come last in overall impact ranking, they are among the most reliant on immigrant labor, with immigrants making up 12.8% of the workforce—the third-highest percentage on the list. With 3.8 million immigrant workers in these industries, the projected loss of 127,600 individuals would be deeply felt, especially in sectors like agriculture and construction that already face chronic labor shortages.
The broader trend is reflected in federal data, which shows a 37% decline in H-1B visa applications in April 2025 compared to the previous year. This drop indicates growing uncertainty among employers about the stability of the skilled immigrant workforce, with many now reconsidering their hiring strategies as immigration policy continues to shift.
