Source: Fortune
Summary
The Minneapolis Fed’s Beige Book report reveals the economic impact of President Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota, dubbed Operation Metro Surge. The report notes flat overall economic activity, but details from surveyed businesses show significant damage to the agricultural, manufacturing, and real estate sectors. Many immigrant workers were unable to work, leading to lost wages and a decline in consumer spending. The crackdown also affected U.S. citizens and legal immigrants, creating a broad environment of fear.
Our Reading
The strategy enters a familiar phase.
Operation Metro Surge may be over, but its effects linger. The Minneapolis Fed’s report paints a picture of a community reeling from the immigration crackdown. Businesses are struggling to find reliable workers, and consumer spending is down. The absence of immigrants has created a ripple effect, impacting even U.S. citizens and legal immigrants. As one contact told the Minneapolis Fed, “There are not any people to hire.” The economic damage is clear, but the human cost is just as significant.
The numbers tell one story, but the fear and uncertainty they’ve created tell another.
Author: Evan Null
