The push isn't new. NRCA has advocated for immigration reform for more than two decades and earlier this year endorsed the bipartisan Dignity Act, legislation that combines border-security measures and expanded E-Verify with pathways to legal status for certain immigrants already in the United States.

"NRCA strongly supports the Dignity Act; it includes balanced reforms that are vital to sustaining a strong economy while meeting our national security needs," NRCA CEO McKay Daniels said when the association endorsed the legislation in February.

The association has also supported the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act, which would establish a market-driven visa program intended to help employers facing persistent worker shortages after domestic recruiting efforts fail.

Labor Pressure Continues

The latest push comes amid evidence that immigration enforcement is affecting construction's already-tight labor supply.

A 2026 workforce survey from the Associated General Contractors of America and the National Center for Construction Education and Research found 29% of construction firms experienced at least one direct or indirect effect from immigration enforcement during the previous six months.

The impact was considerably higher in the South, where 42% of respondents reported an effect. Twelve percent of firms nationally said workers left or failed to report because of actual or rumored immigration enforcement activity, while 16% said subcontractors lost workers.

At the same time, 87% of firms reported openings for hourly craft workers, and 88% of companies with those openings said the positions were as hard or harder to fill than a year earlier.

NRCA has also been closely watching Temporary Protected Status policies. In September, the association said it would continue advocating for short- and long-term solutions for roofing workers whose TPS could be jeopardized by changes in federal immigration policy.

Immigration Among Roofing's Washington Priorities

NRCA plans to keep immigration and workforce policy near the top of its agenda when the 120th Congress convenes in January, even as midterm elections reshape Washington's political landscape.

Duane Musser, NRCA's vice president of government relations, told Roofing Contractor that the association is already looking toward working with the incoming Congress. He noted that 83% of candidates on the Nov. 3 ballot supported by ROOFPAC won their races, while several longtime senators NRCA had worked with will not return.

"Heading into the 120th Congress, we will continue to support policies and those candidates that enable roofing industry entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and provide high-paying jobs that lead to rewarding careers," Musser said.

Those priorities include affordability and workforce policy, along with an issue NRCA has pursued for more than two decades. Musser said the association will continue pushing for "long-overdue immigration reform that addresses both security and economic needs."

The association's renewed immigration push puts workforce policy among the first issues roofing contractors will watch as Washington adjusts to the results of the 2026 midterm elections, reinforcing NRCA's case for immigration policy that addresses border security while also responding to employers' workforce needs.