Mass deportations could cost Bay Area economy $67B a year: report

Mass deportations could cost Bay Area economy $67 billion annually

A new economic report is sounding the alarm on the potential local impact of mass deportations, warning that such a move could cost the Bay Area billions of dollars and cripple several essential industries.

SAN FRANCISCO - A new economic report is sounding the alarm on the potential local impact of mass deportations, warning that such a move could cost the Bay Area billions of dollars and cripple several essential industries.

The Bay Area Council Economic Institute unveiled findings showing that if the region’s approximately 500,000 undocumented immigrants were removed, the annual economic output could drop by a staggering $67 billion. The research identifies construction, food service, health care, and caregiving as the sectors most vulnerable to the loss of this workforce.

Abby Raisz, Vice President of Research for the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, noted that native-born workers are unlikely to fill the resulting vacancies.

"It's not like you deport this many people who have been here for sometimes two decades and overnight you're going to find a line out the door of native-born workers who want to fill those roles," Raisz said. "They're already struggling to fill these roles as is, even with undocumented workers in our economy."

The report also emphasizes the demographic importance of the immigrant community. According to the data, the Bay Area would be experiencing a population decline without foreign immigration, which would have long-term negative implications for regional economic growth.

In addition to their role in the labor market, the report finds that undocumented immigrants contribute more than $8 billion every year in federal, state, and local tax revenue.