How the current immigration climate is affecting CA’s economy

One of the many reasons that immigrants come to Riverside County to live is so that they can make a better living than they could in their native country. Given the large number of immigrants residing in California, it is perhaps not surprising that they play a vital role in its economy. Here is a look at how the economy may fare since the Trump administration has made it a priority to crackdown on immigrants who are in the country without the proper documentation.

One way that business owners are feeling the effects of the increase in immigration enforcement is through fewer customers. CNBC reports that some immigrants are staying away from small businesses out of fear of immigration raids. While U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement asserts that their arrests are specific in nature and not being conducted indiscriminately, unease among immigrant communities persists.

In addition, given not only the arrests of unauthorized immigrants but also the policies currently preventing some people from traveling to the United States, some anticipate that California’s tourism industry may suffer a blow. According to KQED, the travel ban may result in foreigners declining to visit California, potentially resulting in billions of dollars of lost revenue over the next two years.

Finally, many of the immigrants who live in California work in the agriculture industry. It is estimated that half of the workers who work to harvest food crops are undocumented immigrants. If some or all of those people are facing deportation, a food crisis could loom as the industry will lack the workers to produce sufficient yield.