Immigrants are pulling far more than their weight in San Antonio’s economy, according to a new city-commissioned analysis that landed in front of the City Council’s Community Health Committee this week. The study finds that immigrant households help fuel local consumer spending, launch businesses and keep key industries staffed, even though they account for a smaller share of the metro’s population.
By the numbers
In 2023, immigrant households in the San Antonio metro earned about $12.6 billion and paid roughly $1.9 billion in federal taxes and $1.1 billion in state and local taxes, leaving around $9.6 billion in spending power circulating through the local economy. The analysis estimates immigrants contributed about $25.6 billion to the region’s gross domestic product in 2023, or roughly 14.1% of total economic output, despite foreign-born residents making up only about 12.7% of the population. The findings are detailed in a report by American Immigration Council.
Council reaction
Presenting the numbers at Tuesday’s committee meeting, American Immigration Council organizer Chelsie Kramer told council members, “This is not a niche population,” emphasizing that immigrant workers sit at the center of the region’s growth story. Councilmember Marina Alderete Gavito said the report underscores how deeply immigrant communities are tied to San Antonio’s long-term economic future. Councilmember Teri Castillo added that the data will come in handy during upcoming debates over workforce and housing policy. As reported by San Antonio Report.
Industries that rely on immigrant labor
The study shows immigrants are especially concentrated in some of the metro’s fastest-growing sectors. In 2023 they made up about 32.3% of construction workers, 18.9% of manufacturing workers and 18.5% of hospitality workers. In manufacturing alone, immigrant workers were credited with helping create or preserve an estimated 15,800 jobs in the region, a level of support the authors say helps keep local employers and supply chains rooted in place. The sector breakdowns are available from the American Immigration Council city-commissioned analysis.
Policy stakes
The timing of the presentation was not accidental. The council is in the middle of carrying out a February resolution that directs staff to study how San Antonio should respond to federal immigration moves, including worries about a proposed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement warehouse purchase on the East Side. Council members said the fresh economic data gives them a clearer view of what might be at risk if stepped-up enforcement removes workers or discourages legal immigration, particularly when it comes to housing needs and long-term workforce planning. As reported by San Antonio Report.
What’s next
The full Demographic and Economic Contributions report is now posted on the City of San Antonio’s website, and staff plan to weave its findings into future briefings and recommendations. Officials told committee members they will return to the full council with options as federal immigration policy continues to shift, and that the report is meant to give those conversations a shared data baseline. The City of San Antonio’s research brief is available on SA.gov.
