The American construction industry is built on hard work, grit—and immigrants. That’s not opinion. That’s math. And with the 2025 immigration crackdowns in full swing, the roofing industry is staring down a labor crisis no one can afford to ignore.
While the White House tightens the screws on border policy, contractors are left scrambling for crews, delaying jobs, and paying premiums to keep skilled labor on site. The message from the field is clear: let workers work, deport criminals, and stop punishing the backbone of the trades.
This article dives deep into what’s actually happening under new immigration policy, what the labor data really says, and what the roofing industry needs to survive the political chaos.
Here’s a recent interesting video on it from Roofing Insights:
What the 2025 Immigration Orders Really Say—and Why It’s a Big Deal for Roofing
In January 2025, the White House signed three major executive actions on immigration, drawing a hard line on undocumented workers and asylum seekers:
- Securing Our Borders
- Protecting the American People Against Invasion
- Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship
Key takeaways from the new policies:
- 1,200 ICE arrests per day mandated nationwide.
- Expansion of ICE detention facilities to house undocumented immigrants for longer periods.
- Curtailment of asylum and refugee entry programs—even for people fleeing war zones.
- Aggressive E-Verify enforcement across private employers.
- A proposed end to birthright citizenship for children born to undocumented parents (currently blocked in court).
The policy goals? Tighten border control, restore legal immigration pathways, and “protect American workers.”
The result? Legal confusion, job site anxiety, and thousands of skilled immigrant workers staying home—not because they’re criminals, but because they’re afraid they’ll be treated like one.
Roofing Relies on Immigrant Labor—And We’re Already in Short Supply
The labor shortage in construction isn’t new—but this wave of immigration policy is turning a chronic issue into a full-blown crisis. According to the Home Builders Institute (HBI) 2024 Fall Construction Labor Report, the numbers paint a dire picture:
- The industry needs 723,000 new workers annually to meet current demand.
- Roofing and framing are at the top of the list for unfilled trade positions.
- 42% of builders experienced job delays in 2024 due to crew shortages.
- Immigrant workers make up 30% of the total construction labor force—and over 50% in roofing in high-demand states.
The report calls the situation “an unsustainable trajectory”—and that was before the 2025 executive orders went into effect.
This isn’t just about border politics. It’s about whether or not roofs get built this year.
Labor Data Confirms What Contractors Already Know
From roofing crews in Florida to siding subs in Minnesota, one thing is consistent: you can’t find enough Americans willing to do this work. Don’t take it from one guy—look at what the data says from the top sources in construction:
According to NCCER:
- Gen Z continues to show very low interest in skilled trades.
- Most U.S.-born workers favor HVAC, plumbing, or tech jobs—not roofing.
- Working in extreme heat, at height, for long hours makes roofing one of the least desirable trades.
From the Center for American Progress:
- 30% of all construction workers are foreign-born.
- Undocumented workers make up 13% of the entire construction labor pool.
- Immigrant workers contribute more in GDP than they cost in public benefits, especially in trades like roofing.
From Grassi Advisors:
- 62% of construction firms rank labor shortages as their biggest risk in 2025.
- Project delays are up 18% year-over-year, driven primarily by staffing gaps.
- Labor constraints are inflating project costs across the board—from single-family homes to commercial builds.
The verdict? We have more projects than people. The workers we do have are either aging out or being pushed out by fear and policy.
“Hire Americans Instead” Isn’t a Realistic Solution
The go-to response from immigration hardliners is: “Just hire Americans.”
Here’s the reality:
- American-born workers are not applying for roofing jobs—especially in southern and western states.
- Even with competitive wages and bonuses, roofing companies report empty interviews and no-shows from local applicants.
- There’s a major skills gap—new hires (if they show up) often require months of training before they’re roof-ready.
It’s not a race to the bottom—it’s a fight for people who will actually show up and do the work.
The H-2B Visa Program Is Broken—and It’s Hurting Seasonal Work
One practical solution for roofing companies, especially during busy seasons, is the H-2B visa program. But that system is barely functioning.
According to the American Immigration Council:
- Only 66,000 H-2B visas are issued per year—but applications often exceed 200,000.
- Roofing companies in border states rely on this labor for spring and summer projects—the shortage leads to bidding wars for crews.
- The program’s red tape, caps, and delays make it nearly useless for fast-moving construction timelines.
If the H-2B system were modernized and expanded, it could fill critical labor gaps legally. Right now, it’s underpowered and over-complicated.
What Needs to Change—Now
The answer isn’t open borders or mass deportations. It’s targeted, data-driven reform that secures the country and stabilizes the industries that power it.
Policy changes that would actually help:
- Enforce E-Verify with nuance: Focus on employers who exploit workers, not small roofing businesses trying to finish a job.
- Expand the H-2B visa cap to match actual seasonal labor demand.
- Prioritize work permits for long-term residents with clean records and consistent employment.
- Fund trade training at the high school and community college level with a focus on roofing and exterior trades.
- Deport violent criminals immediately—no one’s arguing that. But stop lumping in hardworking families and skilled laborers.
Immigration policy should help build America—not break the companies doing it literally, from the ground up.
Roofing Can’t Wait for Washington to Figure It Out
The truth is, roofing companies are already operating at full speed with half the labor they need. And while the policy debate drags on, jobs are being delayed, costs are climbing, and projects are falling behind.
Let’s get real:
- If we want to build homes, offices, and infrastructure at the scale this country needs…
- If we want younger generations to learn the trades instead of watching them die out…
- If we want to protect the integrity of the industry without compromising national security…
…then we need to separate labor policy from fear-based politics.
Immigrants aren’t the problem. They’re the workers standing on your roof in 100° heat getting it done. Let them work. Deport the criminals. Everyone wins.
