"Trump’s immigration crackdown jolts Los Angeles garment industry", 14 June 2025

Following the implementation of a severe immigration policy by the Trump administration...the garment industry of the USA is facing the heat with raids and subsequent arrests, conducted by the Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE).

...among the most affected is Los Angeles’ garment sector...accounting for 83 per cent of the nation’s cut and sew apparel sales...

Factories have reported delayed shipments and reduction in production in the wake of raids...Susan Scafidi, founder and director of the Fashion Law Institute at Fordham Law School, feared a large decline in garment production in the USA, in the absence of immigrant workers...

...over one-third of 300,000 workers manufacturing garments and footwear in the USA are immigrants...30,000 workers...are undocumented and of these undocumented workers two-thirds have lived in the country for 10 years and longer.

...the Trump administration has also issued orders to ICE to conduct and increase the number of workplace inspections across the country to single out more immigrant workers...

...Nuncio also shared how immigration status of workers is used up against them by the garment manufacturers, if they complain. She said that the bosses threaten and intimidate the workers by telling them that they’ll inform ICE about the workers’ details, in case the workers have grievances about wages or breaks.