Florida homebuilder says immigration raids are scaring legal workers off jobsites

In the interview with anchor Stephanie Ruhle, Brannock said his concern goes beyond workers without legal status. Legal immigrants in his area, he said, are afraid to come to job sites after being profiled, harassed and in some cases detained more than once, according to a transcript excerpt published by Grabien. He said some of those workers have moved out of the Northeast Florida market.

Brannock made a similar case to The Wall Street Journal earlier this month. He told the paper that his company had nearly ground to a halt because its crews had left, according to The Real Deal. Subcontractors in his market estimated that raids, or fear of them, had wiped out about 70% of the local construction workforce. The Real Deal also cited a September survey by John Burns Research & Consulting in which about two-thirds of builders said immigration enforcement had affected their labor force, up from 23% in March and 13% a year earlier.

NAHB figures show immigrants made up about a quarter of U.S. construction workers two years ago, a record. The National Association of Home Builders also said median labor costs in the industry rose 4.2% year over year in September. Framers, roofers and painters are among the trades hit hardest, The Real Deal reported. Supporters of the crackdown argue that deportations will bring housing costs down by reducing competition in the market. Tidewater has not published figures on its own delays or prices.