California is home to more than 300,000 temporary immigrant workers, making it the largest host state, according to the Economic Policy Institute. They range from farm and construction laborers to nurses and software engineers.
Capital & Main
September 8, 2025
“It seems likely that the Trump administration will use Friday’s jobs report to continue to argue that their immigration policies are creating job market opportunities for U.S.-born workers, but this claim is false and based on a misreading of data from the household survey,” Ben Zipperer, senior economist at the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute, wrote in a blog.
“If anything, the job market for U.S.-born workers is worse so far in 2025 than it was in preceding years.”
NBC News
September 8, 2025
The Economic Policy Institute called the idea “foolish and dangerous” in February, adding that only the most highly tipped workers will gain from the rule.
“It makes no sense for lawmakers to give preference in the tax code to servers in expensive, high-end restaurants who are receiving large tips over a waitress at Denny’s struggling to make ends meet,” the EPI said. “Nor does it make sense to give tax preference to low-wage tipped workers over nontipped low-wage workers like a bank teller, a retail cashier, or a teacher’s aide. Efforts to raise pay for low-wage workers should focus on the level of earnings, not whether payment came as a gratuity.”
Chappaqua Daily Voice
September 8, 2025
Heidi Shierholz is the President of the Economic Policy Institute and the former chief economist of the U.S. Department of Labor, and she joins me now.
CNN International
September 8, 2025
More than 90 percent of union workers nationwide have employer-paid health benefits, compared to just 71 percent of nonunion peers, according to research by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the nonprofit Economic Policy Institute.
Nation of Change
September 8, 2025
Raising two children from infancy through college remains one of the costliest undertakings. Using Economic Policy Institute data, Investopedia calculates $650,000 to cover childcare, transportation, meals, and other expenses, with college costs exceeding $230,000 for two children.
Newsweek
September 8, 2025
According to an analysis of BLS data by the nonprofit Economic Policy Institute, increases in nominal average hourly earnings have continued a downward slide that began in 2022.
New Republic
September 8, 2025
August’s payroll losses were particularly acute in professional and business services, the federal government and wholesale trade. But weakness was evident across sectors. “There have also been sustained losses over recent months in manufacturing, construction and mining, an indication that Trump’s blue-collar renaissance is clearly not happening,” Elise Gould, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, posted on Bluesky.
Observer
September 8, 2025
“We’re not seeing any evidence yet of improved conditions for [domestic] workers,” said Daniel Costa, director of immigration law and policy research at the Economic Policy Institute. “Some employers, especially in certain industries, have been ready to make a push for more H-2A and H-2B visas… They see that the only way they are going to replace that workforce is with these programs.”
Investigate Midwest
September 8, 2025
“Trump’s blue-collar renaissance is clearly not happening,” Elise Gould, senior economist at the Economic Policy Institute, wrote in a commentary.
Investopedia
September 8, 2025