Introduction: We Used to Build Things
There was a time in America when a young man could graduate high school, walk onto a job site, and within a few years be earning enough to support a family, buy a home, and eventually start his own business. No college debt. No elite credentials. Just tools, skill, and hard work.
We called them the trades: plumbing, roofing, HVAC, welding, framing, mechanics. These jobs didn’t just build infrastructure — they built the middle class.
But over the last 30 years, these fields have been
hollowed out, not because Americans got lazy, but because the
labor market was flooded with illegal workers. Tradesmen were replaced with low-wage labor, often off the books, untaxed, unlicensed, and invisible.
That’s not an accident. It’s policy failure. And fixing it will require something big:
mass deportation and a
return to lawful labor markets.
The Economic Impact of Illegal Labor
It’s well-documented that illegal immigration has distorted low-skill labor markets in the U.S. The
Pew Research Center estimates over
10.5 million unauthorized immigrants are in the country as of 2021, with
7.6 million participating in the workforce — the majority concentrated in construction, agriculture, hospitality, and service trades (Pew, 2021).
A 2016 report from the
Center for Immigration Studies found that in many low-skill job sectors,
illegal immigrants significantly depress wages and displace American workers — particularly in construction and building trades (Camarota & Zeigler, CIS, 2016).
This isn’t speculative. A
2010 GAO report on E-Verify cited employer admissions of hiring undocumented workers to avoid taxes, reduce labor costs, and evade wage laws (GAO, 2010).
Result?
- Legal contractors can’t compete
- Wages stagnate
- Union training pipelines dry up
- Licensing is bypassed
- High school grads see no path forward in the trades
The College Debt Trap: A False Path to Prosperity
While the trades have been undercut, young Americans are steered toward college — often without clear goals or financial understanding. The result?
- $1.77 trillion in student loan debt as of 2023 (Federal Reserve)
- 43.5 million borrowers, with an average balance of
$37,787 (Education Data Initiative, 2023)
- One-third of graduates working in jobs
that don’t require a degree (Federal Reserve, 2021)
Meanwhile, the
average cost of a four-year degree has soared:
- $27,940/year for in-state public college
- $57,570/year for private institutions (College Board, 2022)
We’ve created a generation of overeducated, underemployed, heavily indebted young people — while trades go begging for workers.
The Forgotten Trades: High Pay, Low Enrollment
According to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the following median annual wages (2023) illustrate the opportunity:
- Plumbers: $61,550
- Electricians: $60,240
- HVAC Technicians: $51,390
- Welders: $48,940
- Elevator Installers: $98,600
- Lineworkers: $82,770
- Carpenters: $52,480
Many of these roles require
no college degree, and wages can reach six figures with experience, overtime, and specialization. Yet trade schools remain underenrolled, and vocational programs in high schools are vanishing.
Why? Because Americans are told these jobs are “beneath them” — and illegal labor makes it seem like that’s all they’re worth.
Mass Deportation: A Lawful Correction, Not Extremism
Deportation isn’t radical. It’s the
law.
Under the
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), individuals who enter illegally or overstay visas are subject to removal. This isn’t new — it’s been enforced in large numbers before:
- “Operation Wetback” (1954) saw over 1 million removals under President Eisenhower
- President Obama’s DHS (2009–2016) deported over
3 million individuals, including 1.7 million interior removals (DHS Yearbook of Immigration Statistics)
- ICE conducted over 267,000 deportations in 2019 alone (ICE, FY2019 Report)
What’s missing today isn’t legal authority — it’s political courage.
Polling reflects support for stricter enforcement:
- Rasmussen (2023): 60% of voters support deporting illegal immigrants who haven’t committed other crimes
- Gallup (2022): 64% of Americans say illegal immigration is a “critical” or “important” threat.
It’s not “mass deportation” that’s extreme. What’s extreme is allowing a
permanent illegal workforce to persist — undermining labor, wages, and law.
Reset the Labor Market, Rebuild the Trades
Here’s what happens when we remove millions of illegal workers from U.S. labor systems:
- Wages rise — no more being undercut by cash-paid crews
- Training returns — apprenticeships become necessary again
- Pride returns — Americans see real value in building things
- Work becomes dignified — not exploited, not disposable
- Young Americans have a path — not through debt, but through skill
Enforcement triggers investment. It forces contractors and industries to
compete fairly,
hire legally, and
train future workers.
No amount of subsidy can match the power of
market correction.
“Jobs Americans Won’t Do” Is a Lie
This talking point — that illegal immigrants do the work Americans won’t — is economic gaslighting.
The truth:
Americans will do any job that pays fairly and operates legally.
Before mass illegal immigration exploded in the 1990s, Americans dominated construction, roofing, agriculture, hospitality, and meatpacking. Those jobs still exist. But now they’re filled by workers paid under the table, with no benefits, and no upward path.
Take away illegal labor, and guess what happens?
- Employers
raise pay
- Conditions improve
- Citizens
re-enter the workforce
- The labor market
realigns
In 2017, after a massive ICE sweep in Mississippi chicken plants,
wages for legal workers rose sharply, and locals were hired (NYT, 2019). The labor didn’t vanish — it simply became legal again.
The Political Establishment’s Betrayal
Let’s be honest about who sold out the trades:
- Democrats want mass amnesty and future voters
- Republicans want cheap labor for their donors
- Big Business wants open borders and no enforcement
- The education cartel wants every kid in college, no matter the cost
Who’s left out?
You. The American worker.
The same people who preach “equity” and “dignity” refuse to protect the very laws that give working-class Americans a shot. The trades didn’t die. They were
suffocated on purpose.
Mass deportation is how we breathe again.
A Blueprint to Rebuild
Once we enforce immigration law, here’s what a national trades revival should include:
1.
High School Vocational Reform
Bring back shop class. Introduce digital fabrication, welding, HVAC, and electrical in public high schools. Make trades a
first-choice path, not a fallback.
2.
Federal Apprenticeship Expansion
Offer tax incentives for companies that hire and train citizens through registered programs. Fund union halls, training centers, and mentor networks.
3.
E-Verify Enforcement
Make E-Verify mandatory. Fine or imprison employers who hire illegally. Eliminate the black market.
4.
Local Contractor Preference
For public projects, give preference to local firms that verify legal hiring, employ apprentices, and pay living wages.
5.
Remove Licensing Overreach
Streamline excessive licensing rules while maintaining safety and professionalism in core trades.
6.
Public Awareness Campaign
Rebrand the trades with national marketing campaigns. Show success stories, not stereotypes.
To Young Americans: This Is Your Moment
If you’re 18 and unsure of your future, listen:
You don’t need a $100,000 degree in liberal arts to succeed.
You need:
- A skill
- A license
- A work ethic
- A contractor who hires legally
You can become:
- A welder
- An electrician
- A machinist
- A carpenter
- A solar installer
- A lineworker
- A small business owner
The only thing stopping you is a
rigged labor market. And we’re going to fix that.
Conclusion: Bring Back the Hammer
This isn’t a hate movement. It’s a
survival movement.
We’re not against immigration. We’re against
lawless labor markets that destroy opportunity for citizens.
Mass deportation is not about cruelty. It’s about clarity. It's about choosing to
protect your own before you're overwhelmed by a system built to exploit you.
We want a country that trains its own, hires its own, and
believes in work again.
Bring back the hammer.
Bring back the torch.
Bring back the trowel.
Bring back the trades.
And bring back the borders that made it all possible.
References
- Pew Research Center. (2021). Facts on Unauthorized Immigrants in the U.S.
- Camarota, S.A., & Zeigler, K. (2016). The Impact of Illegal Immigration on the Wages and Employment of Black Workers. Center for Immigration Studies.
- GAO. (2010). E-Verify: Challenges in Implementing Employment Eligibility Verification.
- U.S. Department of Education. (2023). Federal Student Aid Portfolio Summary.
- College Board. (2022). Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid.
- BLS. (2023). Occupational Outlook Handbook.
- ICE. (2019). FY2019 Enforcement and Removal Operations Report.
- Gallup. (2022). Public Opinion on Immigration.
- Rasmussen Reports. (2023). Majority Favor Deportation of Illegal Immigrants.
- New York Times. (2019). After ICE Raids, Mississippi Factories Look for Legal Workers.
DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this post are opinions of the author for educational and commentary purposes only. They are not statements of fact about any individual or organization, and should not be construed as legal, medical, or financial advice. References to public figures and institutions are based on publicly available sources cited in the article. Any resemblance beyond these references is coincidental.
