The Bay Area could lose billions of dollars in economic output and tax revenue if mass deportations of the region's undocumented population were carried out.
That’s according to a report released this week by the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, a think tank that conducts research on economic issues in the region.
The study calculated the projected fiscal outcomes, if the Bay Area’s entire population of undocumented people was deported.
About a half-million undocumented immigrants call the Bay Area home.
Undocumented workers fill jobs in critical industries, making up substantial portions of sectors like construction, administrative support, hospitality, waste management, transportation, food services, and retail.
The report says their contributions to the economy are "essential" to its functioning. Without the undocumented population, annual economic output could be reduced by as much as 67 billion dollars. And nearly eight-and-a-half billion dollars in tax revenue would be lost.
