the only reason most of the contractors use illegal aliens is they can pay them less for the same days work. They can also not have to hire ANY of them as they can, each day, go to the labor pool and pick up what they need for that day.
If that resource was gone tomorrow, I would bet that within a week the word would get out and more unemployed craftsmen would be employed...yes at a higher price per hour/day. But I would not jump so quickly to the notion that would raise the cost of building here. It would for sure cut into the very handsome profits made for using "cheap? labor. Whether the builders would try to recoup dollar for dollar would be a function of whether the developer would tolerate it and they most likely would not. And if those builders would pull out (highly unlikely) there are plenty to fill the void in the FL depressed construction market.

There would be a skipped heart beat and they progress overall would barely be impacted. Some of us remember when all the work was done by resident Americans. The advent of allowing illegal aliens to remain and work for less money is a function of politics. Just like corporations putting jobs overseas...to pay less for the labor, lowering the cost and increasing their profits.

Nary a heartbeat!!

btk