AUSTIN, Texas — A new analysis highlights the outsized role immigrants play in Texas’ economy, finding that nearly a quarter of the state’s labor force is made up of immigrant workers and underscoring the broader social and economic stakes tied to immigration policy and labor rights.
The significant roles that immigrants play in Texas’ economy were recently brought to light by an analysis done by FWD.us, which finds that nearly a quarter of the state’s labor force is made up of immigrant groups. They contribute billions annually, and the article underscores the broader social and economic justice issues tied to immigration policy and labor rights in light of this number.
“Texas depends on immigrants to grow its economy,” the report emphasizes as it warns that the labor force “cannot be taken for granted.” Accounting for 24% of Texas’ workforce, about 4 million workers, the FWD.us report describes it as the second-largest immigrant labor force in the United States.
Immigrant workers contributed an estimated $225 billion in personal income annually, the analysis states, which represents about one-fifth of the state’s total spending power. These contributions demonstrate the importance of policies that support immigrant communities, and FWD.us emphasizes the need for expansion of policies that support immigrant communities and their economic participation.
Making up 40% of construction workers, 28% of agricultural workers, and 24% of those in leisure and hospitality, immigrants account for over half of building services workers. With 52% in those fields, another 50% in landscaping services, 45% in taxi services and 40% in meat processing, immigrants are concentrated in key industries across the United States.
Deeply integrated into Texas communities, FWD.us highlights that 87% of immigrants speak English, 57% of whom are homeowners, and about 73% have lived in the United States for more than a decade. Eleven million Texans live in households with at least one immigrant, which shows the widespread social impact of immigrant populations beyond jobs and industries.
The report also states that more than 1.5 million immigrant workers are naturalized U.S. citizens as it breaks down immigration status within the workforce. Hundreds of thousands hold lawful permanent residency or temporary visas, with legally authorized workers making up about 15% of the state’s total labor force.
More than 1.5 million workers, however, FWD.us estimates — about 9% of the workforce — lack some level of permanent legal status or have temporary protections such as DACA, TPS or pending asylum claims. Many of these individuals, though, are authorized to work and are “critical to the labor infrastructure of the state,” the article states. This is especially true during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters.
Workers without permanent legal status, 39% of whom are homeowners and 59% of whom have lived in the United States for more than a decade, contribute more than $60 billion annually to the economy and pay more than $16 billion in federal, state and local taxes. FWD.us argues that this number by itself demonstrates their long-term ties to Texas communities, stating that creating a “vibrant, inclusive, welcoming environment” is essential for sustaining Texas’ economic growth.
Ongoing social justice debates surrounding immigration policy, economic equity and labor protections are brought into focus by these findings, as FWD.us concludes that immigrants “help power major sectors of the state’s workforce.”
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