America's Voice, a pro-immigration advocacy group, released a report shared exclusively with CNBC, asserting that President Donald Trump's mass deportation campaign is negatively impacting the U.S. economy by raising prices for food, housing, and healthcare, and causing local economies to contract [1]. The group refers to these added costs as the 'ICE Tax,' referencing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has faced controversy this year due to aggressive enforcement tactics [1].
Vanessa Cardenas, executive director of America's Voice, stated that forcibly deporting hundreds of thousands of essential workers results in higher grocery bills, increased home construction costs, quieter local businesses after raids, and job losses when workers are deported [1]. She criticized the administration for prioritizing deportation over affordability, claiming it 'terrorizes our communities, hurts our businesses, and sticks every family with the bill' [1].
The report urges Congress and the White House to end the 'ICE Tax,' launching this messaging campaign three months before the 2026 midterm election, where cost-of-living and immigration policy are key issues [1]. According to CNBC's All-America Economic Survey, which polled 1,000 voters in early July, 60% disapproved of Trump's handling of the economy, and immigration and border security ranked as the third most important issue facing the country [1].
Trump has set an aggressive goal of deporting one million individuals annually in his second term, and ICE took more than 46,000 individuals into custody last month for alleged immigration violations, marking a monthly record high under Trump, as reported by CBS News [1]. ICE has also faced criticism for its tactics and a series of high-profile killings by officers, prompting calls for reform from Democrats and activists [1]. The White House and Department of Homeland Security did not respond to requests for comment [1]. America's Voice analyzed 12 months of federal price data to support its findings [1].
CONCLUSION
America's Voice claims Trump's mass deportation policy is raising costs and contracting local economies, with significant public disapproval reflected in recent polling. The report calls for policy change ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, highlighting the economic and social consequences of aggressive immigration enforcement. Market sentiment is negative, and the issue is likely to remain a focal point in political and economic debates.