Over 1 million immigrants have lost jobs in US this year
Since the start of 2025, more than 1.1 million foreign-born workers have lost their jobs in the US—a sharp reversal after a decade of steady growth for this group.
Tighter immigration rules under the Trump administration are driving these cuts, shrinking the foreign-born workforce by 1.5 million since March.
H-1B visa holders under extra pressure
Unemployment among foreign-born workers climbed to 4.2% in 2024, now higher than the native-born rate of 4%.
Policy changes—like ending humanitarian parole and Temporary Protected Status, plus blocking refugee admissions—have made things tougher.
H-1B visa holders face extra pressure, needing to leave the country within 60 days if they're laid off.
Small uptick in foreign-born workers last month likely just a blip
A small uptick of 173,000 foreign-born workers between July and August is likely just a data blip—not a true comeback.
The NFAP report expects job losses to keep rising into 2026 as strict immigration policies and deportations continue.
Overall US unemployment at 4-year high
It's not just immigrants feeling the pinch—the overall US unemployment rate hit a four-year high at 4.3% this August.
Manufacturing lost another 12,000 jobs last month alone; tech layoffs topped 22,000 by February after last year's massive cuts; and job openings dropped to approximately 7.18 million in July 2025.