Immigration and Customs Enforcement made 50,925 arrests in August 2026, the most in any month on record, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Industry groups say the fallout reaches well beyond the people detained.
National Association of Home Builders Chairman Bill Owens said that in some markets, builders report that “increased immigration enforcement is discouraging legal workers from reporting to job sites.”
The White House pushed back. “ICE is not arresting people legally in the country,” spokesperson Lauren Bis said, according to Axios.
The trades you hire are the most exposed
An NAHB analysis of 2024 census data found immigrants make up 57% of drywall and ceiling tile installers, 53% of roofers, 53% of painters and 51% of carpet, floor and tile installers. Across all construction, the share is 26.3%.
Where enforcement has been heaviest, builders describe prices jumping fast.
A manager at a large Austin homebuilder reported framing labor costs up 25% to 50% in a matter of weeks, adding roughly $2,000 to $5,000 per house. A West Virginia builder said framing costs in the Eastern Panhandle had tripled.
Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 40% of July’s arrests, and the effects are patchy: Builders in Phoenix, Kansas City and Indiana reported little disruption.
Most of the reports so far come from builders of new houses, not from the roofers and painters homeowners call.
The backdrop for remodeling is already pricey. In a July 2026 NAHB survey, 74% of remodelers said suppliers had raised materials prices since March 2026, by an average of 6.7%.
Protect your budget before you sign
Employers will need 1.7 million skilled-trade workers a year through 2035, one report estimates, while training pipelines may supply barely half of them. A few free steps put you in a stronger spot with any contractor:
- Collect at least three written bids, and ask each contractor which crew will do the work and whether it is licensed and insured.
- Ask for a fixed price with a start date and a finish date, and ask what happens to the price if the crew arrives late or not at all.
- Keep the upfront deposit small and tie later payments to finished work.
The Money Talks News budgeting page can help you build a cushion before the bids come in.
Paying for a bigger job
Cash on hand is the cheapest way to pay, and splitting a large job into stages can shrink what you need up front. When the bill is bigger than the savings, equity is what many owners have.
Intercontinental Exchange’s Mortgage Monitor put mortgage holders’ home equity at a record $18 trillion in the second quarter of 2026. NAHB chief economist Robert Dietz has said “rising home owner equity and an aging housing stock are powering demand for residential remodeling.”
Firm bids come first, since the amount you borrow should follow the price, not the other way around.
You may be considering tapping into your home’s equity with a home equity line of credit (HELOC) to fund home improvements, consolidate high-interest debt or cover a large expense. Typically, HELOCs attract a lower rate than credit cards or personal loans.
Money.com’s home equity table lets you compare offers from multiple lenders in one place, so you can see what you may qualify for in just a couple of minutes. Compare current HELOC rates today.
As Texas and Florida accounted for nearly 40% of July’s arrests, homeowners in those states may be the first to see higher quotes. Wherever you live, get written bids and a fixed price before any crew starts work.
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