How Immigration Policy Shapes Industrial Resilience

In a Parakeet Risk podcast with Jowanza Joseph, GMC director Giovanni Peri examined how removing large numbers of workers from the labor force can reduce GDP, employment, and industrial output. He explained that construction is especially reliant on immigrant labor, so disruptions can delay projects, undermine facility maintenance, and deter long-term capital investments. Peri highlighted historical case studies, including the 1930s Mexican repatriation and WWII-era exclusion policies, to show how labor removals created shortages and economic inefficiencies. These examples illustrate the unintended and often long-lasting negative consequences immigration restrictions can have on the broader economy and labor markets. Listen to the podcast here.