A new analysis paints a stark legal and economic picture of what the United States would face if all immigrants—documented and undocumented—were suddenly removed from the country.
The hypothetical scenario underscores how deeply intertwined immigration is with the nation’s workforce, public health, and infrastructure.
If the estimated 45 million immigrants living in the U.S.—roughly 13% of the population—were to vanish overnight, legal experts warn the consequences would be catastrophic.
The hospitality industry would face immediate collapse, while grocery store shelves would run empty. Over 70% of America’s farm workers are immigrants, meaning food production and distribution would grind to a halt.
Healthcare would also be hit hard. More than a quarter of physicians and 15% of nurses are foreign-born, leaving millions of patients without medical care. In the tech sector, where over 70% of workers in Silicon Valley are immigrants, the impact would extend to software, websites, and digital innovations that Americans rely on daily.
Construction would stall as well, with one in three workers in the industry coming from abroad. Legal analysts note that such a labor void would have ripple effects on housing availability, infrastructure projects, and compliance with contractual obligations under federal and state law.
Immigration attorneys and policy scholars emphasize that these figures highlight the essential role immigrants play not only in economic productivity but also in maintaining constitutional rights related to commerce, labor, and public welfare.
With the U.S. population aging and the native-born workforce shrinking, immigration remains a legal and practical necessity for sustaining the nation’s systems.
