Texas companies tie worker shortages to immigration fears
Frank Fuentes, chairman of the U.S. Hispanic Contractors Association, poses for a photo at the Texas Capitol where is was meeting with lawmakers, Thursday, June 15, 2017, in Austin, Texas. Say Fuentes, “Projects are coming in late because we don’t have enough labor. When paranoia hits this segment of the community, it truly affects the industry as a whole.” (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
AUSTIN, TEXAS: Though construction is in high demand in Texas’ booming capital city, Oscar Martinez’s drywall company is suddenly struggling.
One-third of the approximately 20 employees Martinez uses to build new homes and commercial spaces have recently fled the state, spooked by a combination of a federal immigration crackdown by the Trump administration and a tough anti-“sanctuary cities” law approved last month by Texas’ Republican-controlled Legislature.
Credit: sltrib.com