Immigration Enforcement Fears Threaten New York City Construction Safety as Site Fatalities Rise

New York City construction deaths are rising as federal immigration raids discourage workers from reporting safety violations, according to DOB officials.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 28, 2026, 8:44 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Bisnow

Safety Enforcement Collides With Federal Immigration Policy

New York City’s Department of Buildings (DOB) is grappling with a complex paradox: while the agency is increasing its safety sweeps, the shadow of federal immigration activity is making workers more hesitant to report hazards. After ending 2025 with an enforcement blitz of 705 sites—which resulted in 50 stop-work orders—city officials now fear that a parallel increase in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity is undermining transparency. Attorney Francisco Mundaca notes that when workers prioritize self-preservation over speaking up about dangerous conditions, the resulting risk extends to everyone on the jobsite, regardless of their legal status.

The High Stakes of a Foreign Born Workforce

The construction industry in the New York metropolitan area relies heavily on immigrant labor, with nearly half of all workers being foreign-born. This is significantly higher than the national industry average of 26 percent. This demographic reality makes the sector particularly sensitive to the Trump administration’s intensified deportation efforts, which aim to remove 3,000 unauthorized immigrants daily. A recent survey by the Associated General Contractors of America highlighted the disruption, finding that 28 percent of contractors nationwide have already been impacted by ICE activities in the last six months.

Diverging Trends in Fatalities and Reported Injuries

Data from the DOB presents a conflicting picture of safety in the city. Construction-related fatalities rose to 10 in 2025, up from seven in each of the previous two years. Conversely, reported injuries dropped by 33 percent to 320, the lowest level recorded in a decade. While DOB Commissioner Ahmed Tigani attributes this decline to better monitoring and new legislation, safety experts like Michael Zalle suggest the drop may actually reflect a decrease in reporting. In New York, some research indicates that the actual number of injuries could be as much as three times higher than what is officially documented by contractors.