President Donald Trump’s return to the White House brought a sweeping immigration crackdown, highlighted by his pledge to deport “the worst of the worst.” This commitment led to numerous raids and arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, including many individuals currently detained without criminal convictions.
According to a Department of Homeland Security report released in September, over 2 million people have been deported or have willingly left the United States since Trump’s inauguration. A Pew Research Center analysis found that as of June 2025, immigrants made up 19% of the U.S. labor force, down from 20%, with Trump’s anti-immigrant policies cited as a significant factor in the decline.
These actions have brought fear and anxiety to immigrant communities across the nation. WTOP spoke with members of the D.C. region’s immigrant community to gather their perspectives on the administration’s moves against immigrants and how they have responded.
### Finding Work
José arrived in the United States from Mexico in 1995. He has been living in the D.C. region for over a year, working either in plumbing-related jobs for various companies or at the Workers Co-op Without Borders through CASA, one of the largest immigration rights organizations in the country.
While José has been able to find work, he shared with WTOP that many of his friends and co-workers are struggling to make ends meet. “I have heard that for many people, jobs are scarce because of what’s happening,” José said in Spanish.
The recent government shutdown has further affected José and others, as work has noticeably dried up. “A lot of the work the companies got was from government workers,” he explained. “And now, they don’t want to spend.”
### ‘Risks of Being Profiled’
Cesar Garzon, a naturalized citizen from Venezuela, works for the Swamp Rose Co-op, a worker-owned landscaping company based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Although some cancellations occurred due to the economic outlook, Garzon and his team have maintained steady work over the past eight months.
However, Garzon noted it has become more difficult to find people willing to help out. “There has been a reducing workforce,” he said. “A lot of people have kind of decided to either leave or they’re just not working.”
Due to the current political climate, Garzon and his co-workers have established strategies in case they are wrongly identified during an encounter with ICE agents. This includes designating a contact person to assist if needed.
“We face the risks of being profiled, and of course, that’s not fun,” Garzon admitted.
### New Skills to Find New Jobs
Lindolfo Carballo, senior director of the community economic development department for CASA, told WTOP that he has seen an increase in immigrants applying for jobs through the organization’s job centers. He has also observed many immigrants seeking to learn new skills to pursue different types of work.
Despite this, fear still lingers in the community. Carballo emphasized that the Trump administration’s ongoing actions are making it harder for employers to hire workers and for workers to find jobs.
“The truth of the matter is that there is a need for workers,” he said. “It’s a very large need of workers.”
Carballo encourages immigrants remaining in the U.S. to continue fighting for their rights. “We need to fight back,” he said. “We need to be resilient. We need to stand up for our rights and, of course, right now, it’s very difficult. But we know that we will overcome.”
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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https://wtop.com/dc/2025/10/dc-area-immigrants-face-challenges-under-trump-administration/
