Proposed Border Wall And Deportation Plan Would Cause Labor Shortage, Higher Wages

President-elect Donald Trump's plan to build a wall at the Mexican border and deport illegal immigrants could affect the construction labor situation.

Bloomberg reports that companies expect an increased labor shortage if Trump’s plans go into effect. For instance, an estimated 20 percent of construction workers are undocumented, and losing them could cause wages to double.

All of that may be precisely the desire of many Trump supporters: Prop up stagnant wages for working-class Americans. But for companies in industries such as construction, restaurants, hotels and technology, it could make filling jobs more difficult. “We supply ready-mixed concrete to the housing industry, and if there’s not enough workers to build houses, guess what? We don’t get to supply the concrete,” said Tom Hill, chief executive officer of Summit Materials Inc.

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