Alabama has a shortage of construction workers, and the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration is threatening to make it worse, an industry leader said.

Tim Harrison, chairman of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama, said the construction industry supports the removal of immigrants who commit crimes.

But, he said, people who came here without legal documents years ago and have proven themselves as otherwise law-abiding and reliable employees are valuable for the industry and for the larger economy.

Federal authorities carrying out the administration’s call for mass deportations have stepped up raids on construction sites this summer. This summer, roughly four dozen workers were detained at school building sites in Baldwin County.

“From an economic standp

See Full Page