Mass Deportations Reshape US Economy and 2026 Midterms
What if the crackdown you voted for is now closing the restaurant where you eat, raising your grocery bill, and leaving your local hospital short-staffed? Two years into Donald Trump's second term, mass deportations and ICE raids have moved far beyond immigration policy — they are reshaping the US economy and threatening the legal status of hundreds of thousands of workers with temporary protected status (TPS).
ICE raids are hitting industries that feed and care for America
The consequences of mass deportations are showing up at the grocery store, the hospital, and the dinner table. About two-thirds of US farm workers are non-citizen immigrants. As ICE targets these workers, food producers are struggling to keep up, and prices are expected to rise steeply, according to a study by the think tank Fwd.us. The US cattle herd has already shrunk to its lowest numbers in 75 years. Matt Teagarden, CEO of the Kansas Livestock Association, put it plainly: ranchers "are not able to expand without the workforce." In Kansas, cattle ranchers told reporters that ICE operations were having "a massive chilling effect on the legal, documented, skilled workers that put beef on the table."
Restaurants near Trump's Mar-a-Lago golf course are feeling it too. Katia Rios, owner of Pipo Burgers, said sales dropped 70% — not just because workers are afraid, but because customers are scared to leave home with ICE officers constantly nearby. Chef Carlos Raba, who runs restaurant Clavel in Baltimore, told a congressional hearing he could lose 80% of his staff if the administration revokes temporary protected status (TPS) for Salvadorians — a move that was expected imminently at the time of reporting. Of the 330,000 Haitian TPS holders who lost their legal status this summer, about 13,000 work as nursing assistants caring for 65,000 patients, according to the Boston Globe. Senior living facilities and rural hospitals — where nearly one in four doctors trained abroad — are also running short.
Deportation Defense Checklist — Free
Immigrant rights, appeals and protective measures
Voters are turning against enforcement — including Latino voters who backed Trump in 2024
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on September 21, 2026 found only 36% of voters approved of Trump's handling of immigration. Pew Research found half of Americans see the administration's tactics as too aggressive. Among Latino voters — a group that swung toward Trump in 2024 — an October NBC News/Telemundo poll found two-thirds believe enforcement has gone "too far." More than one in four said they personally know someone who has been deported or detained by ICE since Trump's second term began. In Texas, a New York Times/Siena University poll found voters evenly split on which Senate candidate they trusted more on immigration — a striking shift in a state that hasn't elected a Democratic senator in nearly 40 years. After the killing of two US citizens during immigration raids in Minneapolis sparked public backlash, new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said his goal would be to keep ICE out of the headlines. But immigration arrests remain at a record high, and agents are still shooting people — including a fatal ICE shooting of a 25-year-old asylum seeker in Maine and shootings in Texas in July and September 2026.
What to do
- If you hold TPS, check the USCIS website immediately for the latest status of your country's designation — revocations have happened with little warning, and you may need to file for another form of relief before your status expires.
- If ICE comes to your home or workplace, you have the right to remain silent and the right to refuse entry without a signed judicial warrant. Do not sign any documents without speaking to an immigration lawyer first.
- If you or a family member is detained, ask for a bond hearing in immigration court — a judge can set or reduce the bond amount that allows release while your case continues.
- If you are in removal proceedings, contact an immigration attorney as soon as possible. Free or low-cost legal help is available through nonprofit organizations in most major cities.
Related: our step-by-step guide — “Appealing to the BIA”.
Fishkin Law Firm, New York
If your TPS is revoked, you do not automatically become deportable overnight — there are often wind-down periods and pending litigation that may delay enforcement, but you should not wait to act. File any available applications for alternative status immediately, and if you have a US citizen or permanent resident family member, explore whether an I-130 (family petition) is an option. Anyone detained by ICE has the right to request a bond hearing before an immigration judge — exercise that right and do not waive it. Consult a licensed immigration attorney before signing anything ICE presents to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can ICE arrest me at my workplace?
Yes. ICE can conduct arrests in public places, including workplaces. However, you have the right to remain silent and do not have to answer questions about your immigration status. If agents enter a private area of your workplace, they generally need a judicial warrant signed by a judge — not just an administrative ICE warrant. Do not physically resist, but you can clearly state that you do not consent to a search.
What happens to my TPS if the government revokes it for my country?
If TPS is revoked for your country, you lose the legal status and work authorization that TPS provided. The government usually sets a wind-down date, and ongoing court challenges may delay enforcement. You should immediately explore other forms of relief — such as asylum, a family-based petition (I-130), or other visa options — with an immigration attorney before the deadline hits.
If I am detained by ICE, do I have the right to a hearing?
Yes. Most people detained by ICE have the right to a bond hearing before an immigration judge, where a judge decides whether you can be released and at what cost. You also have the right to hire an attorney — though the government is not required to provide one for free in immigration cases. Nonprofit legal organizations in many cities offer free or low-cost help.
Can ICE deport me if I have a pending application with USCIS?
Having a pending application does not automatically protect you from deportation, but it can be a factor in your case. If you are in removal proceedings, your immigration judge needs to know about any pending applications. An attorney can argue that your case should be paused while USCIS processes your application. Do not assume a pending application means you are safe — get legal advice.