Stephen Miller’s deportations are colliding with James Carville’s economy 

As Americans go about their daily lives they may see some evidence of the role immigrants play in enabling their activities. They may notice the young man clearing tables at their favorite lunch restaurant, the laborers working on the construction site down the road or the crew doing some landscaping beautification near the park entrance. 

Many of these workers likely came to the United States from Latin America. The data indicate that a clear majority of these workers have navigated a complicated and lengthy process and have secured the right to work and live in America.

Then there are other immigrants from Latin America who are less visible to the daily lives of Americans but still important. It is likely that a significant percentage of them entered the country illegally and still lack the legal status to live and work here that other immigrants have achieved. 

These workers can be invisible but essential to large sectors of the U.S. economy.

That BLT you had for lunch was tasty. The tomato was likely picked from the hot fields of south Florida by someone in the country illegally. 

When you check out of your hotel Monday morning after a restful getaway weekend, look at that nice lady at the end of the hallway pushing that cart with all the cleaning supplies. If you stop to ask her a question do not be surprised if her response "no ingles" comes back with a puzzled look.  

Then there are those hardworking guys at the construction sites, rebuilding the west coast of Florida after hurricanes Ian, Helena and Milton. They show up everyday, deal with the extreme heat and are grateful for the opportunity to work. From personal experience, I can tell you they are desperately needed.

Certainly President Trump understands how the labor supply in the hospitality industry works. The president made a career there and still owns several country clubs with restaurants and hotels. From New Jersey to Northern Virginia to Florida his business enterprises cover a wide swath of America.

Perhaps an enterprising reporter will ask the president if he is confident that all his employees at all of his various locations are in the country legally, including those at the Doral Golf and Country Club in heavily Hispanic Miami-Dade County.

With minimal observation, Americans can see for themselves the role immigrants play in the American economy. 

With more thought the role of immigrants in our daily life becomes clearer as we consider who is picking vegetables on vast farmlands, doing all that landscaping at our golf courses and who is actually doing the cooking at our favorite restaurant.

In Upstate New York, 2,000 miles from the southern border, Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids have arrested some migrant farm workers and instilled such fear in many others that they will not leave home to work on the farm. 

Farmers are sounding alarm bells telling the media and elected officials that this year’s crop may not get harvested if the work force does not soon return to normal. Fears are growing that a less than fully profitable harvest this year will financially cripple the investment needed to plant next year’s crop. 

Said one long time upstate fruit farmer, “I don’t understand [ICE] coming after longtime workers. They’re good people and they’re just looking for a place to make some money for their families.”

Axios recently documented the urgent concerns the White House is hearing from employers across the board, saying Trump’s “economic advisers are warning him of hotels, restaurants, landscaping, construction and meatpacking companies going belly up.”

They are on a collision course with Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff. It is very puzzling that the hard-liners who want to deport millions of immigrants fail to comprehend the effect their position has on the American economy.

There is a reason the recent Fox News poll has such bad numbers for the president on the issues of inflation (64 percent disapprove)  and the economy (58 percent disapprove). It is because he appears, to average Americans, to be paying little attention to what they care about and far too much attention to tariffs, trade wars and deporting immigrants who are working hard, paying taxes and taking care of their families.

A simple mathematical calculation indicates that about 20 percent of the people who voted for the president now disapprove of how he is handling the economy and inflation. These numbers need to improve significantly and soon. Trump’s legislative agenda will be dead in the water if these numbers remain where they are.

The economy always plays a huge role in voter behavior. The economy is often the determinant factor in how someone votes. It was James Carville who in 1992 bore into the American political lexicon the maxim “It’s the economy, stupid.”

It is now in Trump’s best interest to introduce Stephen Miller to James Carville. “It’s the economy, stupid” will best “It’s the deportations, stupid” every time.

Kevin Igoe is the former deputy chief of staff of the Republican National Committee and former executive director of Maryland Republican Party. He served as chief of staff of the Maryland Department of Budget and Management and was a Reagan White House appointee.