Federal immigration agents raided a housing construction site on Santa Fe's south side Tuesday morning, Oct. 13, and arrested several people. Builders say it's part of a pattern that's hitting job sites across New Mexico.
According to Searchlight New Mexico, the arrests happened around 9:30 a.m. at the Los Brios housing development off Agua Fría Street. A social media video showed a few men being led away in handcuffs by agents wearing "ICE" and "ERO" markings. ERO stands for Enforcement and Removal Operations, a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Officials from ICE and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not respond to Searchlight's emails seeking confirmation of the arrests or information about the people detained.
'It's not just us'
Vincent Pizzonia, founder and owner of Twilight Homes, said his company is one of a few developers at Los Brios. He told Searchlight he wasn't sure whether the men in the video worked for his contractors or for another company on the site.
"I spoke to a couple other builders. They've gone to quite a few construction sites in the city," Pizzonia said. "It's not just us. All the building sites in Los Lunas, Rio Rancho, Albuquerque, and now Santa Fe."
Santa Fe Rapid Response, a volunteer group that responds to reports of immigration activity, sent teams around the city that morning. Member Sharon Argenbright said the group got more reports that day than she had ever seen, more than during a wave of arrests in August that attorneys and advocates said led to at least 15 arrests over about a week. She said volunteers found agents at a second construction site and honked their horns until the agents drove away before making any arrests.
A hit to home building
Miles Conway, CEO of the New Mexico Homebuilders Association, told Searchlight the arrests are taking a toll not just on workers and their families, but on an industry trying to close the state's housing gap.
"I'm hearing some of my builders saying that it's just a ghost town out on these major building projects," Conway said. "Individuals that may absolutely have status, that may absolutely have paperwork to be in this country legally, are still feeling fear and reacting to what's going on by not going to work."
He said the impact will show up in the economy. "Individuals are not coming to work, and the work of building housing in New Mexico is not moving forward," he said.
Conway pointed to recent raids at construction sites in Los Lunas and Albuquerque, which he said appear to be part of an uptick in immigration-related arrests in the region. Searchlight noted that arrest totals released by Homeland Security for July and August set all-time records.
The National Association of Home Builders has issued guidance to members about their rights when immigration agents show up at a worksite, whether for a raid or for an administrative audit, which comes with advance notice. But Conway said a raid can be "chaotic," and subcontractors or employees could be on site alone and unprepared.
"It's such a human rights issue and a human dignity issue that we're experiencing right now," he said.
Why it matters for Contractors
Whatever anyone thinks about immigration policy, the effect on job sites is hard to ignore. When crews don't show up, schedules slip, costs climb and homes don't get built. In a state already short on housing, that matters to builders, buyers and renters alike.
For contractors and subcontractors, the practical step is preparation. The National Association of Home Builders has put out guidance on what to do if immigration agents arrive at a site, and Conway's warning about crews being caught alone and unprepared is worth taking seriously. Owners and supervisors should know their rights and responsibilities, keep employment records in order and make sure foremen know who to call.
Builders should also be honest with clients about schedules. If labor shortages are slowing work, it's better to say so early than to miss deadlines without warning.
Over the longer term, the industry's labor problem isn't going away. With housing shortages across New Mexico and fewer workers on many sites, contractors who invest in training, keep good people and plan for labor gaps will be in the best shape to keep building.