7 in 10 business executives expecting immigration enforcement actions to impact their workplaces: Survey

Seven in 10 business executives are expecting immigration enforcement actions by President Trump’s administration to impact their workplaces over the next year, according to a survey released Wednesday. 

The annual poll from Littler found that 70 percent of employers said they expect immigration enforcement by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to have a “significant or moderate” impact on their workplaces over the next year. Some 30 percent disagreed, saying it would have no impact. 

Nearly 6 in 10 employers, 58 percent, were concerned about potential staffing challenges because of the president’s immigration policies. More than 4 in 10, 42 percent, said they are not concerned at all, according to the survey. 

The poll, which was conducted among lawyers, business executives and human resources professionals, discovered that 75 percent of employers said they think changes in the areas of immigration will impact their businesses. 

Among large organizations — those that have more than 10,000 workers — the figure increased, with 81 percent expecting impacts on their companies, according to the survey. 

Since Trump's return to the White House earlier this year, his administration has sought to crack down on immigration and carry out the largest amount of deportations in U.S. history.

“This year’s survey data shows that employers are closely tracking the news headlines, while also feeling the pressure as regulatory uncertainty in numerous areas continues to build,” Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute co-Chair James A. Paretti Jr. said in a statement. 

“Though it may be some time before the dust settles, employers would be wise to actively revisit their policies and make strategic adjustments based on where this new regulatory regime is likely to be headed in the months and years to come,” Paretti added. 

Retail, hospitality and manufacturing workplaces, at 83 percent, were the most concerned about the administration’s immigration policies. That is 8 points higher than the 75 percent for all employers. 

Most retail and hospitality employers, 89 percent, said they anticipate that ICE and DHS enforcement will have a moderate to significant impact on their workplaces, nearly 20 points higher than the rest of the employers at 70 percent. 

The survey was conducted from late February to mid-March among 349 professionals.