Business owners concerned about possible mass deportation

MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — There is about a month to go before President-Elect Donald Trump's inauguration and immigration advocates say many are worried about mass deportations and a crackdown for those working illegally.

Business owners are mostly worried about the possibility of having immigration officials arrive unannounced at their worksites.

Checkups and raids by immigration agents are not uncommon as they check for the legal status of those employed.

However, immigration advocates and companies worry that these might increase under the Trump Administration, causing a domino effect on the local economy.

South Texas Immigrant Council Inc. Director Benigno Pena says this is common practice for job site raids.

“They don't give notice," Pena said. "They just drop by and start questioning your employees. Of course, those individuals that don't have documents should remain silent, not incriminate themselves and seek legal counsel as soon as possible.”

He recommends business owners to have all of their employees' documents in check.

“Each employee should have a file, and in that file, they should have documentation that includes the I-9 with proof that backs up the fact that they are authorized to work.”

Failure to provide these documents can lead to heavy fines. Pena adds that even now immigration raids are common in the Rio Grande Valley and might increase next year.

He does not believe all industries will be impacted equally.

“We are in need of agricultural workers and we are in need of food, so someone is going to have to do that work," he added. "And if there's no one eligible to do the work, they're going to have to find recourse in undocumented people. And therefore, as in the past, immigration service going to have to relax their duties to allow people to harvest the crops.”

Pena says the same cannot be said about the construction sector.

A statement from the Rio Grande Valley Chapter of Associated General Contractors says the union agrees with the need to deport undocumented criminals but added: “If the scope of the deportations extends to undocumented workers who have otherwise been responsibly engaged in the workforce, that will cause a problem for the industry and it will make it harder, more expensive and slower to get things built.”

Pena says domestic workers may also not be affected, since they are employed by homeowners and work on private property.