THIS IS YOUR WORKFORCE: WHY SILENCE IS NOT AN OPTION
The Protests Are Growing, But So Is the Silence
Over the past few days, thousands of people across the U.S. have taken to the streets in response to ICE raids and mass deportations. Protests have erupted in Los Angeles, Dallas, St. Louis, San Diego, and beyond—disrupting freeways, filling city centers, and demanding justice.
Yet in professional spaces, the silence is deafening. Why aren’t we talking about this on LinkedIn? Why aren’t we talking about it in corporate boardrooms?
The truth is, immigration enforcement doesn’t just impact those being detained—it impacts entire industries, communities, and economies. It impacts your workforce.
The Workforce Impact: By the Numbers
📉 Immigrants are essential to the U.S. workforce. As of 2023:
17% of the U.S. workforce consists of immigrants.
14% of construction workers and 28% of agricultural workers are undocumented. (American Immigration Council)
💰 The economic cost of deportations is staggering.
A mass deportation policy would shrink the U.S. economy by $1.6 trillion and reduce GDP by up to 6.8%.
Immigrant households contributed $46.8 billion in federal taxes in 2022 alone. (American Immigration Council)
🚨 Entire industries are at risk.
Hospitality, agriculture, construction, and service industries rely heavily on immigrant labor. When workers are forcibly removed, businesses suffer severe labor shortages, increased costs, and operational disruptions.
💔 Real people are losing their jobs, businesses, and families.
Employees who showed up to work yesterday may not return tomorrow.
Some are detained. Others flee in fear.
Families are being separated, businesses are disrupted, and entire communities are destabilized. This is not hypothetical—it’s happening right now. (Immigrant Defense Project)
Corporate DEI: A Tagline or a Commitment?
🗣️ Diversity & Inclusion must be more than a tagline. Companies proudly promote DEI initiatives but stay silent when real human rights violations happen. If your company claims to value diversity, it must take a stand when immigrant employees are targeted.
📌 LinkedIn is filled with posts about talent retention, economic impact, and leadership. Yet where is the discussion about the people who are actually being removed from the workforce?
📌 How can companies claim to be inclusive when they ignore the policies actively stripping workers from their jobs?
Ignoring these issues doesn’t make them go away. It only reinforces the systems that allow them to persist.
What Companies Can Do
✅ Acknowledge what’s happening. Silence is complicity. Send an internal statement expressing concern and solidarity.
✅ Support your workforce. Provide legal resources, community connections, and ensure that employees feel safe reporting concerns. ✅ Advocate for policies that protect workers. Whether through public statements, partnerships, or donations, businesses have power. Use it.
✅ Hold DEI initiatives accountable. If your company claims to champion diversity, it cannot stay silent when immigrant employees are targeted.
A Day Without Immigrants – Monday, February 3, 2025
This issue is not just theoretical—it’s real, and it’s happening now. In response to mass deportations, workers and communities are mobilizing with “A Day Without Immigrants” on Monday, February 3, 2025.
🔹 No work
🔹 No shopping
🔹 No school
Immigrants are an essential part of the workforce and economy. This movement is a powerful reminder of what happens when immigrant labor and contributions are erased.
If you’re an employer, leader, or ally, consider how your workplace can show support. That might mean openly acknowledging the protest, protecting immigrant employees, or even engaging in conversations about immigration policies affecting the workforce.
My Story: Why This Matters to Me
I know what it’s like to grow up in a community where immigration status isn’t just a political issue—it’s a daily reality. I’ve seen families torn apart. I’ve seen workers show up to jobs, only to be detained and never return.
And I’ve seen companies stay silent, because speaking out felt “too political.”
But let’s be real—silence is political, too.
Silence sides with the oppressor.
If you’re a business leader, an HR professional, or a DEI advocate, you have a choice right now. Will you take a stand, or will you let fear keep you quiet?
