Factories Across the U.S, Brace for Labor Shortages as Immigration Protections End for Thousands of Workers: Report

Factories across the country are preparing for staffing gaps as federal immigration protections lapse and work authorizations are revoked, a new NPR report has revealed.

At GE Appliances, for example, team leader and union steward Jaelin Carpenter said four members of her 26-person crew suddenly lost status after the Trump administration ended programs that had allowed two-year work authorization for people fleeing crises.

“They were calling me asking me if they’re on the run. ‘Does this mean I’m getting deported today?'” Carpenter told NPR, adding that the workers handled difficult hose and motor-platform installs and that constant retraining raises the risk of mistakes. GE spokesperson Julie Wood said the company is consulting on compliance and expanding its fill-in pool to manage uncertainty.

In all, GE Appliances says 148 employees have already lost eligibility to work, and union stewards on its Louisville lines describe abrupt vacancies in “critical jobs.”

Kraft Heinz also confirmed to NPR departures at its Holland, Michigan plant. Mechanic and union president Tom Torres said he’s watched more than a co-workers learn they’re not eligible to work. “Just tears in their eyes,” he says, adding that it’s been difficult for him, too. “It’s killing me, because I’m watching them walk out. I know these people because I work with them every day.”

The policy shift targets Biden-era pathways, including humanitarian parole for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (the CHNV program) and entries scheduled via the border app. The administration has also moved to end Temporary Protected Status for several nationalities, though court challenges are pending.

Business groups like Greater Louisville Inc. warn of knock-on effects and are currently lobbying for expanded legal immigration, citing a tight labor market and aging manufacturing workforce. Local officials note Louisville’s population growth would have declined without international migration; GE plans two new lines needing 800 additional workers by 2027.

A recent analysis by FWD.us estimates the loss of protections could reduce annual immigrant spending power by $13.4 billion and tax contributions by at least $3.2 billion, with potential job losses concentrated in leisure and hospitality (about 73,000), construction (60,000), manufacturing (46,000), health services (44,000), wholesale/retail (36,000), and business services (34,000).

Food supply risks are also rising, as The Guardian revealed in a July 17 report, with everything from farms to restaurants losing staff. “They are scared, there are fewer opportunities, and they are no longer prospering here,” said Elizabeth Rodriguez, director of farm worker advocacy at the National Farm Worker Ministry to The Guardian. “Their fear will soon be seen in the harvest, when the quantities of produce are depleted.”