‘I can’t find any help’: Employers scramble to solve worker shortages caused by immigration crackdowns

hrdive ^

[anthropocene_x]

Trump’s remarks signaled a potential addendum to an immigration enforcement agenda that is set to ramp up, featuring more frequent audits of paper and electronic Form I-9s by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as well as increased worksite visits. The president has said that these moves are essential to enforcing immigration laws.

But the pattern of enforcement operations may chill employers’ talent operations. Mary Pivec, attorney at Pivec & Associates PLLC, told HR Dive that the Trump administration’s targeting of foreign scientists, engineers and students teaching and studying in U.S. universities and laboratories would discourage key talent from migrating to the U.S.

Despite the administration’s aggressive enforcement plans — the Republican Party’s 2024 campaign platform called for the largest deportation program in American history — permit applications for work authorization remained elevated entering 2025, suggesting that immigrant workers continued to contribute to labor supply growth, according to a Brookings Institution analysis of USCIS data.

While the battle over immigrants’ legal status advances, employers are advised to begin the process of finding employees who are authorized to work. But the reaction heard from many clients “usually is, ‘I can’t find any help.’”

[anthropocene_x]

Maybe they can consider trying to entice American workers? Maybe up your game, employers, and give better pay or working conditions?

[Jeff Chandler]

But the reaction heard from many clients “usually is, ‘I can’t find any cheap help.’”

[Lurker]

“Who’s gonna pick the cotton?”

L

[9YearLurker]

Exactly. We’ve been subsidizing their underpayment to illegals for ages—and you can always tell these illegal worksites by their sub-American working conditions as well.

[simpson96]

‘I can’t find any help’, sounds like what the AWFLs are going to be increasingly saying... ;)

[metmom]

I don’t believe it.

[Jonty30]

Maybe offer more pay and training?
There are lots jobs I can learn on the job in a few weeks. I just need an employer who is willing to invest in his employees the training to do the job.

Also cut welfare.

[Jane Long]

Take away ALL welfare incentives for any able bodied American citizen who’s been on the dole for more than 2 years.

That’ll flush out a work force in no time.

[lastchance]

My God what an ingenious plan!!! Do you think they will fall for it? Naaah. Better to whine.

[central_va]

There is no such thing as a labor shortage, there are only wage shortges.

[GaryCrow]

There are plenty of American workers, they just don't want to pay them. If I go to the grocery store for hamburger and it's more expensive than I want to pay I don't say "they don't have any hamburger". I either pay it or do without hamburger. I don't get to demand the government let me bring in chinese hamburger meat because I don't want to pay the going rate.

We've had wage stagnation in the U.S. for fifty years. Much of it is because of illegals and H1b visas. Employers don't want to pay American wages but expect American prices for their services and goods. It's long past time we kicked all the illegals out and shut off the H1b scams that have driven U.S. wages down. There are plenty of people that will pick your vegetables, but they won't do it for $2 an hour. Pay a U.S. wage and jail anyone who hires an illegal. I don't care if lettuce goes up in price.

[PTBAA]

I feel no sympathy for dirt-bags who maximize their profits by shifting the true costs of illegal presence on the backs of American taxpayers.

We need to make the penalty for knowingly hiring illegals a felony and to start publicly perp-walking these employers to destroy their incentive to screw us.

[mrmeyer]

Bingo

[wally_bert]

Same here but even for something low level, employers want double master degrees, an Olympic medal, speak 4 languages, be a gourmet chef, and race car driver.

My last corporate employer, a typical multinational would never reimburse or send me to any kind of training or certification. I had to pay for that myself. The excuse was there is no training budget for the US IT department. I was taking a few classes at a local tech college for cybersecurity.

“They” didn’t care at all. I asked officially up and down the line a few times. I attached my transcripts and the couple of certifications I earned. Crickets.

I wound up quitting for that and few other reasons. It was a very good place for many years.

The next month was when Crowdstrike bricked all those systems.

I was having a very nice day on a Midwest trip going to visit Lake Geneva in WI.

Knowing that the ungrateful applications manager who lived a couple hours away from the place and his favorite know nothing minion got stuck doing actual work was heartwarming.

If I had been there, I would’ve gotten 0 help. Those two would have endless excuses while lifting their coffee cups at home and got away with it.

[Brian Griffin]

April 29, 2025
Washington, DC

Enforcement and Removal

100 days of record-breaking immigration enforcement in the US interior

3 in 4 arrests were criminal illegal aliens

WASHINGTON — During the first 100 days of President Donald J. Trump’s second term, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has arrested 66,463 illegal aliens and removed 65,682 aliens, including criminals who threaten public safety and national security. Three in four arrests were criminal illegal aliens, putting the worst first.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/100-days-record-breaking-immigration-enforcement-us-interior

[Pollard]

Three law firms and some lawyers mentioned but not a single employer. Why would that be? Is it because they specialize in representing companies who hire mostly illegals and green card holders and other “foreign workers”?

If these companies can afford to hire these law firms that all have their own wikipedia page, maybe they could ditch the law firms and pay a little better. If they are merely left wing activist law firms, screw ‘em and they along with a bunch of “non-profits” need to be disbanded and outlawed for working against Americans.

[jimpick]

Pay more. Then maybe the younger workers could afford to buy a house.

[Sarah Barracuda]

and this is part of the problem, you have employers who hire cheap labor, pay them under the table with cash, and this causes more illegals to come here but they want cheap labor so that is the problem

[cableguymn]

Offer more pay and or benefits

Works every time unless your a a-hole

[dfwgator]

Pay more.